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For Release Thursday, 12th
December, 2002 |
CONTACT:
TIM O’CONNOR |
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PHONE:561-355-3576
FAX:561- 355-3038
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BOCA
RATON, FL-Routine daily water testing results of the Boca Raton Water system showed a presence of bacteria today. This type of condition may cause illness and is of particular concern for people with weakened immune systems.
The City of Boca Raton and the Palm Beach County Health Department have reviewed the test results and are issuing a drinking water warning.
Customers of the Boca Raton water system should boil their water before using it for drinking. Boiled or bottled water should be used for drinking, making ice, brushing teeth, washing dishes and food preparation until further notice. It is recommended to bring all water to a boil for one minute and let it cool before using or use bottled water. Boiling kills bacteria and other organisms in water.
Bacteria may cause diarrhea, cramps, nausea, headaches, or other symptoms. They pose a special health risk for infants, young children, some of the elderly and people with severely compromised immune systems. The symptoms listed above are not caused only by organisms that may present in drinking water. If customers experience any of these symptoms and they persist, they may want to seek medical advice. People at increased risk should seek advice about drinking water from their health care providers.
The City is re-sampling all of the water system to determine the validity of the test results. Since the biological testing requires a 24-hour incubation period, the results of the testing will not be known until early Friday afternoon.
In the meantime, the City is treating the bacteriological results as valid and is aggressively taking action. In addition to increased sampling, the City will be beginning free chlorination and flushing. During this period, customers may notice at he smell of chlorine. The entire system will also be examined to determine if any possibilities of cross connection exist.
The City is also asking customers to treat the test result as valid and take the recommended action.
The drinking water warning will continue until the tests show acceptable results. At that point, the City will provide appropriate notification.
Customers can call the City's Boil Water Hotline at 561-367-7004. General l guidelines on ways to lessen the risk of infection by microbes are available from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 1-800-426-4791.
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