The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) has issued a boil water advisory for the Nicodemus Township public water system in Graham County.

Customers should observe the following precautions until further notice:

• Boil water for one minute before drinking or preparing food, or use bottled water.
• Discard ice cubes and do not use ice from an automatic household ice maker.
• If your tap water appears dirty, flush the water lines by running the water until it runs clear.
• Disinfect dishes and other food-contact surfaces by immersing them in clean tap water containing one teaspoon of odorless household bleach per gallon of water for at least one minute.
• The water used for bathing generally does not need to be boiled. Children should be supervised during bathing to ensure that they do not swallow water. People with cuts or severe rashes should consult their doctor.

The advisory went into effect on August 19 and will remain in effect until the conditions that exposed the system to bacterial contamination are corrected. KDHE officials issued the advisory because the city is currently unable to meet the required minimum chlorine residual levels. Failure to meet the required chlorine residual levels puts the system at risk of bacterial contamination.

Regardless of whether the public water utility or the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) issued a boil water advisory, only KDHE can issue the lifting order after testing at a certified laboratory.

If you have any questions, please contact the water system at 785-421-7083 or KDHE at 785-296-5514. Information for consumers is available on KDHE’s PWS consumer information webpage: kdhe.ks.gov/waterdisruption.

Restaurants and other food establishments with questions about the impact of the boil water advisory on their business can contact the Kansas Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Shelter Program at [email protected] or call 785-564-6767.