By SALINA POST
The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) has rescinded a boil water advisory for Sundowner West Mobile Home Park - public water supply system located in Saline County. KDHE officials issued the advisory because of a broken water line resulting in low pressure in the distribution system. Failure to maintain adequate pressure may put the system at risk for bacterial contamination.
Public water suppliers in Kansas take all measures necessary to notify customers quickly after a system failure or shutdown. Regardless of whether it’s the supplier or KDHE that announces a boil water advisory, KDHE will issue the rescind order following testing at a certified laboratory.
Laboratory testing samples collected from the Sundowner West Mobile Home Park indicated no evidence of bacteriological contamination and all other conditions that placed the system at risk of contamination are deemed by KDHE officials to be resolved.
For consumer questions, please contact the water system at: 785-479-6864, you may call KDHE at 785-296-5514. For consumer information please visit KDHE’s PWS Consumer Information webpage: kdhe.ks.gov/waterdisruption.
. . .
The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) has issued a Boil Water Advisory for the Sundowner West Mobile Home Park public water supply system located in Saline County.
According to a release from the KDHE customers should observe the following precautions until further notice:
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.
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.
According to Sundowner residents, Waterwise Enterprises has been sending out updates to residents, not Scott Kolling who owns the water rights at Sundowner.
The advisory took effect on September 14 and will remain in effect until the conditions that placed the system at risk of bacterial contamination are resolved. KDHE officials issued the advisory because of water line break resulting in low pressure in the distribution system. Failure to maintain adequate pressure may put the system at risk for bacterial contamination.
Sundowner was placed under a do-not-drink advisory back in Aug. for elevated manganese levels in the water.
Manganese is currently unregulated at the state level according to the KDHE, but federal health advisory limits do apply.
Too much manganese can increase the risk of health problems, the KDHE said in its Aug. 29 release, particularly for infants under 6 months old. Infants are more at risk than older children and adults because their brains and bodies are quickly developing. Formula-fed infants get enough manganese from formula to meet their dietary needs. Infants exposed to manganese over 300 ug/L may experience learning or behavioral problems.
On Aug. 29 the KDHE advised residents to not boil or freeze the water. The release said the following, "Boiling, freezing, or letting water stand does not reduce manganese. Boiling can increase levels of manganese because manganese remains behind when the water evaporates."
Michelle Weis, Saline County Emergency Management director said The KDHE conducted water tests in late August which revealed manganese levels below health advisory limits, making it safe to boil.
Salina Post is in contact with residents at Sundowner and will update this story as new information becomes available.