TOPEKA, Kansas (WIBW) – The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) issued a boil water advisory for the public water system in the city of Silver Lake in Shawnee County on Saturday.

KDHE officials issued the warning because a loss of pressure had occurred due to a valve failure. If pressure cannot be adequately maintained, loss of chlorine residue and bacterial contamination can occur.

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 warning will remain in effect until the conditions that exposed the system to a risk of bacterial contamination are corrected.

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