Connecticut State Department of Public Health

 
 
 
 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                              Connecticut Department of Public Health

October 31, 2011                                                        Contact: William Gerrish

                                                                                    (860) 509-7270

 

Health Officials Monitor Water Supplies in Storm’s Aftermath

 

Hartford – State health officials today announced that 18 small public drinking water systems in the state are under a boil water advisory. Public drinking water systems that are experiencing power outages and do not have a backup power source are issuing boil water advisories as a precautionary measure.

 

The Department of Public Health (DPH) is monitoring these systems and working to contact other small public drinking water systems to determine their status and offer assistance as needed. The public water systems will notify customers if a boil water advisory is announced. DPH will maintain a list of affected systems as well as monitor and provide assistance to these systems to ensure drinking water safety. 

 

While some large public water supply systems in the state lost their normal power source, their water supply was not interrupted due to emergency power capabilities. DPH continues to monitor and provide assistance to these systems to ensure drinking water safety. 

 

Residential customers served by water systems under a boil water advisory should:

 

  •       Safely boil their water by bringing it to a rolling boil for one minute. A rolling boil means that there are very large bubbles in the water, making the water move very quickly. Make sure the water does not have any floating pieces in it before you boil it. To make the boiled water taste better, pour the water back and forth between two clean containers a few times. Boiled water should be allowed to cool to a safe temperature before drinking or handling.
  •       Use boiled or bottled water when cooking, washing fruits and vegetables, brushing teeth, or making baby formula. Boiled water should be allowed to cool to a safe temperature before drinking and handling.
  •       Use water that has previously boiled and cooled to a safe temperature or bottled water to wash hands when cooking.
  •       Adults and older children do not need to use boiled water to shower or bathe, but should try not to swallow any water or get any water into their mouths. Infants, toddlers, the elderly, and people with severely compromised immune systems should be bathed using water that has been previously boiled and cooled to a safe temperature or bottled water.

 

State health officials said that large systems serve a population of 2.6 million people. There are approximately 500 smaller community public water systems that each serve less than 1,000 people. 

 

The Department of Public Health Drinking Water Section is responsible for the administration of state and federal drinking water regulations and is dedicated to assuring the quality and adequacy of the state’s public drinking water sources. DPH provides technical assistance, education and regulatory enforcement to over 2,600 public drinking water systems, which provide drinking water to approximately 2.9 million persons on a daily basis.

 

For a list of the 18 systems under a boil water advisory, please refer to the end of this press release. A current list of systems under boil water advisory is also available at www.ct.gov/dph (under Featured Links/October Snow Storm).  

 

The Connecticut Department of Public Health is the state’s leader in public health policy and advocacy with a mission to protect and promote the health and safety of the people of our state.  To contact the department, please visit its website at www.ct.gov/dph or call (860) 509-7270.

 

 

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October 31, 2011

 

List of water systems currently under boil water advisories:

 

 
 
  • Rural Water Co, Inc – Ridgefield Lakes #1, Ridgefield
  • Rural Water Co, Inc – Ridgefield Lakes #2, Ridgefield
  • Rural Water Co, Inc – Ridgefield Lakes #9, Ridgefield
  • Rural Water Co – Ridgefield Lakes – Well #4, Ridgefield
  • Rural Water Co, Inc – Craigmoor, Ridgefield
  • Rural Water Co – Ridgefield Lakes – Main Sys, Ridgefield
  • Rural Water Co, Inc – Scodon-Wells #2 & 3, Ridgefield
  • United Water CT, Inc. – Dean Heights Sys, New Milford
  • United Water CT, Inc – New Milford System – Camelot Service Area, New Milford
  • Rural Water Co, Inc – Fieldstone Ridge, New Fairfield
  • Rural Water Co, Inc – Oakwood Acres, New Fairfield
  • Jensens, Inc. Rolling Hills, Mansfield
  • Club House Apartments, Mansfield
  • Rural Water Co, Inc – Brookfield Div, Mansfield
  • Rural Water Co, Inc – Brook Acres, Brookfield
  • United Water CT, Inc. – Greenridge System, Brookfield
  • Woodcreek Village Condominium Assn, Inc, Brookfield
  • Rural Water Co, Inc – Scodon – Well # 4, Ridgefield

 

 

This list will be updated daily on the DPH website: www.ct.gov/dph  (under Featured Links/October Snow Storm).