CLEARFIELD – The Clearfield Municipal Authority has issued a drinking water warning for the Montgomery Water Supply. Residents are advised to boil their water before using due to an increased risk for microbial contamination.
On Wednesday, there was a loss of positive water due to a water main break on Montgomery Run Road. A loss of positive water pressure is a signal of the existence of conditions that could allow contamination to enter the distribution system through back-flow by back-pressure or back-siphonage.
As a result, there is an increased chance that the water may contain disease-causing organisms. Residents should bring all water to a rolling boil, let it boil for one minute and then let it cool before using. Or, residents should use bottled water. Residents should use boiled or bottled water for drinking, making ice, washing dishes, brushing teeth and food preparation until further notice.
Inadequately treated water may contain disease-causing organisms. These organisms include bacteria, viruses and parasites, which can cause symptoms, such as nausea, cramps, diarrhea and associated headaches. These symptoms, however, are not caused only by organisms in drinking water, but also by other factors. Any residents who experience any of these symptoms and they persist should seek medical advice.
Anyone with severely compromised immune systems, infants and some elderly may be at an increased risk. These people should seek advice about drinking water from their healthcare providers. General guidelines on ways to lessen the risk of infection by microbes are available from the federal Environmental Protection Agency’s Safe Drinking Water hotline at 1-800-426-4791.
