City of Topeka issues Boil Water Advisory

UPDATE 1/14/24, 5:09 p.m. – City of Topeka Utilities staff have been working since early this morning to identify and resolve the low chlorine residual levels coming out of the Topeka Water Treatment Plant. Within the last hour, city staff identified a mechanical issue that is believed to be the cause of the low chlorine levels. Repairs are being made and chemical dosing is anticipated to resume in normal operation this evening.

Staff will continue to monitor operations and work with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) to verify that water throughout the distribution system meets safe drinking water standards. This could take several days. The city will let customers know when the boil advisory has been lifted by KDHE.

Rural water customers should contact their water district directly to see if they are affected by the boil advisory.

For consumer questions, please contact KDHE at 785-296-5514. For consumer information please visit KDHE’s PWS Consumer Information webpage: http://www.kdheks.gov/…/emergencyr…/water_disruption.htm.

_____

TOPEKA, Kan. – The City of Topeka has issued a precautionary Boil Water Advisory for customers in Topeka and Shawnee County. Customers should observe the following precautions until further notice:

• If your tap water appears dirty, flush the water lines by letting the water run until it clears.
• Boil water for one minute prior to drinking or food preparation or use bottled water.
• Dispose of ice cubes and do not use ice from a household automatic icemaker.
• Disinfect dishes and other food contact surfaces by immersion for at least one minute in clean tap water that contains one teaspoon of unscented household bleach per gallon of water.
• Water used for bathing does not generally need to be boiled. Supervision of children is necessary while bathing so that water is not ingested. Persons with cuts or severe rashes may wish to consult their physicians.

City of Topeka officials issued the advisory as a precaution after discovering chlorine residual levels at the water treatment plant did not meet the minimum standard required by regulation. Low water levels and extreme weather have stressed the City’s water system and out of range chemical doses may put the system at risk for bacterial contamination. City staff is currently working to resolve the issue. The advisory will remain in effect until further notice and residents will be notified once it is lifted. The City will provide further updates as they become available and will provide an update at 5 p.m. today. For consumer questions, please contact the City of Topeka at citycommunications@topeka.org, or KDHE at 785-296-5514. For consumer information please visit KDHE’s PWS Consumer Information webpage: https://www.kdhe.ks.gov/468/Consumer-Information-Regarding-a-Disrupt?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery

Restaurants and other food establishments that have questions about the impact of the boil water advisory on their business can contact the Kansas Department of Agriculture’s food safety & lodging program at kda.fsl@ks.gov or call 785-564-6767.