Boil-water advisory issued for Pretty Prairie

The state health department has issued a boil-water advisory for the town of Pretty Prairie after E. coli bacteria was found in the public water supply there.

James White, the city treasurer, said a maintenance worker for the city initially found traces of the bacteria in testing done Wednesday. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment has done more extensive testing since then, and the city should know on Saturday whether the advisory will be lifted or strengthened, White said.

KDHE is advising at this point that residents drink and cook with bottled water, or boil their tap water for at least a minute before ingesting it. The state is also advising that residents dispose of any ice cubes in their refrigerator and disinfect dishes in a solution of one teaspoon of chlorine bleach to one gallon of clean tap water.

The water is generally considered safe for bathing; however, the state advises supervising children to ensure they don’t drink bath or shower water. People with cuts or severe rashes are advised to check with their doctor before washing with the city water.

Most strains of E. coli are harmless, but some can cause digestive system distress, including cramping, gas, severe diarrhea and bloody stool.

Pretty Prairie is about 40 miles northwest of Wichita and has about 700 residents.

Many residents already use bottled water in Pretty Prairie, which has grappled for years with excess levels of nitrates in the water supply. White said the city is planning to build a reverse osmosis plant to clean the water, which comes from a municipal well.

White said he drinks the tap water regularly with no ill effects and that “We have ladies in the nursing home who have been drinking it for 105 years and they seem OK.”

This story was originally published April 1, 2016 at 6:03 PM with the headline "Boil-water advisory issued for Pretty Prairie."