The sampling process is now underway on Emporia’s drinking water system.
City Manager Trey Cocking says the city began collecting 25 samples across town Friday afternoon. Each sample contains 100 milliliters and will be tested by Emporia’s certified lab technician. Results will then be sent to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.
This is the first of two sample batches that could well determine whether Emporia’s boil water advisory, in place since Tuesday, will be rescinded or extended. The second batch will be collected by early evening Saturday. If both tests are clear or within KDHE tolerances, the advisory will be lifted. Cocking has said residents and water customers of Emporia can expect Monday morning at the earliest before the advisory can be pulled.
Issues inside the Emporia Water Treatment Plant evidenced themselves late Monday night or early Tuesday morning, but they were set up by anywhere from 0.5-3 inches in and near the Neosho River Oct. 30, followed by 2-6 inches of rainfall across a wider area Nov. 2-4. The end result was a significant increase in turbidity, or cloudiness in the water, that could not be filtered out until the problems were found and resolved. With upwards of another 1-1.5 inches of rain possible through Saturday morning, Cocking tells KVOE News the city has improved its process which should handle any future turbidity concerns.
KDHE and the city are still encouraging residents to take several precautionary steps while the advisory continues:
*Boil water for one minute before drinking or food preparation or use bottled water for both humans and pets.
*Dispose of ice cubes and do not use ice from a household automatic icemaker.
*If your tap water appears dirty, flush the water lines by letting the water run until it clears.
*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.
Stay with KVOE, KVOE.com and KVOE social media for updates.
9:15 am Friday: Emporia Water Treatment Plant in process of flushing system; Monday morning ‘best case scenario’ for seeing boil water advisory lifted
The Emporia Water Treatment Plant is in the process of flushing its system in hopes of clearing a boil water advisory by early next week.
According to the latest update from City Manager Trey Cocking on KVOE’s 7:05 am newscast Friday the plant was able to “get into compliance” around 4:30 pm Thursday.
If all goes according to plan, Cocking says the city should be able to begin the testing process by late Friday evening. Given the need for two clear test results and a 24-hour timeframe between tests, Cocking says the best-case scenario would see the boil advisory, in place since early Tuesday, lifted by Monday morning, however, that will depend on the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.
Regardless of when the advisory is lifted, Cocking tells KVOE News residents should begin to see a significant improvement in water quality through Friday. Despite that, Cocking says residents should still follow all recommendations from KDHE until the advisory is formally rescinded.
*Boil water for one minute before drinking or food preparation or use bottled water for both humans and pets.
*Dispose of ice cubes and do not use ice from a household automatic icemaker.
*If your tap water appears dirty, flush the water lines by letting the water run until it clears.
*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.
If you do consume water that has not been boiled prior you should monitor for symptoms of digestional distress and illness and if you start to become ill contact a physician right away. Wednesday, KVOE News received reports from residents of “residue” developing while boiling water.
KVOE News asked Cocking if this was a cause for concern to which he responded it is not, it is a normal reaction due to the presence of minerals in water.
A reminder that in addition to Emporia, the boil water advisory, as of Thursday, includes the following areas:
*Olpe and, by extension, Hartford
*Lyon County RWD 1 including Allen, Admire and Americus
*Lyon County RWD 2 immediately west of Emporia into far west Chase County
*Lyon County RWD 3, including southwest Lyon County
*Lyon County RWD 4, including Neosho Rapids
*Lyon County RWD 5, including east-central and northeast Lyon County
*Coffey County RWD 2E, including customers in Lyon County
*Park Place Communities mobile park home located east of Emporia on US Highway 50
Stay with KVOE, KVOE.com and KVOE social media for more updates as they develop.
