LAHARPE — LaHarpe residents were without water service overnight Wednesday as city crews repaired a line break.
Workers remained at the scene until about sunrise today repairing the break, at the intersection of Main and Sixth streets.
The line break prompted the Kansas Department of Health and Environment to issue a boil order for LaHarpe.
The loss of water pressure in the system raises the risk of bacterial contamination, due to a loss of chlorine residuals, KDHE explained in a news release.
Users are encouraged to boil water for one minute prior to drinking or food preparation (or used bottled water.)
Other tips:
— If tap water appears dirty, flush water lines by letting the water run until it clears.
— Do not use ice from a household automatic icemaker. Dispose of ice cubes that may have been frozen since Wednesday.
— Disinfect dishes and other food contact surfaces by immersion for at least one minute in clean tap water that includes one teaspoon of unscented household bleach per gallon of water.
— Water used for bathing generally does not need to be boiled. Supervising children is encouraged to ensure bathing water is not ingested. Those with cuts or severe rashes are asked to consult with their doctors.
The boil order will remain until subsequent KDHE tests confirm the water is free of possible bacteria contamination.
Restaurants and other food establishments are encouraged to call the Kansas Department of Agriculture’s food safety and lodging program kda.fsl@ks.gov or call 785-564-6767.
