Boil Water Advisory Issued for City of Englewood Due to E.Coli Contamination

 

TO: Health Care Providers in the City of Englewood   FROM: Greg Schlosser, Branch Chief, Health Facility Education and Quality   On August 4, 2021, CDPHE issued a boil water advisory to the City of Englewood for a specific section of their distribution system. Sample results showed E. coli bacteria in the water in a section called Zone 1.   To determine if you are in the impacted area, Zone 1, please visit www.englewoodco.gov/boil-advisory Please assume you are served by Zone 1 until you confirm otherwise.    BOIL YOUR WATER BEFORE USING   These bacteria can make you sick, and are a particular concern for people with weakened immune systems.     What does this mean? What should I do?   DO NOT DRINK THE WATER WITHOUT BOILING IT FIRST. Bring all water to a boil, let it boil for three (3) minutes, and let it cool before using, or use bottled water. Boiled or bottled water should be used for drinking, making ice, brushing teeth, washing dishes, and food preparation until further notice. Boiling kills bacteria and other organisms in the water.   E. coli are bacteria whose presence indicates that the water may be contaminated with human or animal wastes. Microbes in these wastes can cause short-term effects, such as diarrhea, cramps, nausea, headaches, or other symptoms. They may pose a special health risk for infants, young children, some of the elderly and people with severely compromised immune systems. The symptoms above are not caused only by organisms in drinking water. If you experience any of these symptoms and they persist, you may want to seek medical advice from your health care provider. People at increased risk should seek advice about drinking water from their health care providers.   What happened? What is being done?   City of Englewood crews are flushing the water lines in Zone 1. The City of Englewood is evaluating the distribution system and conducting additional testing to determine when boiling is no longer required. In addition, the City is setting up a water distribution center at the Englewood Civic Center, 1000 Englewood Parkway, which will be available on Thursday, August 5.   The City is also setting up a call center to answer questions at 303-762-2365. To get the latest updates, visit www.englewoodco.gov/boil-advisory. Residents are discouraged from calling the Englewood Police Department.   What are the next steps?   The City of Englewood will inform you when tests show no bacteria and you no longer need to boil your water. They anticipate resolving the problem within 48-72 hours. We encourage you to visit their website for up-to-date information   Where can we go for more information?   The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has information and resources will be helpful to impacted health facilities, including a Guide to Healthcare Facilities During and After A Boil Water Advisory.   Tri-County Health has issued information on Boil Water Advisory for Retail Food Establishments and Boil Water Advisory for Aquatic Venues.   There is also a Drinking Water Advisory Communication Toolbox to help you communicate with partners as the situation unfolds.   Please share this information with all the other people who drink this water, especially those who may not have received this notice directly, especially home health and home care providers that are caring for individuals in their homes.   For more information, general guidelines on ways to lessen the risk of infection by microbes are available from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 1(800) 426-4791.