Burden residents encouraged to boil water

Residents in the town of Burden in Cowley County are asked to boil water because of the loss of the city’s pressure in the water distribution system.

When a water system fails to maintain adequate pressure, it may result in the loss of chlorine residuals and bacterial contamination, according to a press release issued Sunday by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.

Burden residents are encouraged to boil water for one minute before drinking or in use of food preparation or simply use bottled water.

They are also encouraged to throw away ice cubes and not use ice from the household automatic ice maker; as well as disinfect dishes and other food contact surfaces for a least a minute in clean tap water that contains a teaspoon of unscented household bleach per gallon of water.

Water used for bathing does not generally need to be boiled but it is advised that children who bath be supervised so that water is not ingested by them. People with cuts or severe rashes may want to consult physicians.

And, if your tap water appears dirty, flush the water lines by letting the water run until it clears.

The health department will issue a rescind order once the water is tested as safe at a certified laboratory.

This story was originally published January 15, 2017 at 1:54 PM with the headline "Burden residents encouraged to boil water."