City of Bloomington Utilities Issues Precautionary Boil Water Advisory for Monroe County

City of Bloomington Utilities (CBU) has issued a precautionary Boil Water Advisory for Monroe County following turbidity levels above the maximum level permitted by drinking water standards. This is not an emergency, but customers should know what to do, and what CBU is doing to address the situation.

The precautionary Boil Water Advisory is in effect until 3 p.m. Monday, September 21, unless otherwise notified. CBU recommends boiling all water used for drinking, cooking, and oral hygiene for at least 2 minutes prior to consumption. More information is available at bloomington.in.gov/utilities or by calling 812-339-1444.

CBU is required to monitor drinking water for specific contaminants on a regular basis. The results of regular monitoring help determine whether drinking water meets federal health standards. Routine monitoring showed turbidity levels above the maximum contaminant level of 1.0 Unit permitted by the drinking water standard. At elevated levels, turbidity can interfere with the effectiveness of water treatment. The Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) requires public water systems to issue a precautionary Boil Water Advisory when turbidity is detected at 1 Unit or above.

The elevated turbidity occurred following a period of lower-than-normal water production at the Monroe Water Treatment Plant after overnight storm-related power outages. The lower production resulted in low water levels in the plant’s primary storage tank, which contributed to the elevated turbidity.

CBU staff responded immediately by increasing water-quality monitoring and adjusting plant operations to stabilize water production and turbidity levels at the treatment plant. Staff continue to closely monitor turbidity levels and other water quality indicators as the system returns to normal operating conditions.

All Monroe County residents should follow these instructions:

• If you have cloudy water, run COLD water from a sink or tub until clear water flows from the faucet.
• Boil all water used for drinking, cooking, and oral hygiene for at least 2 minutes prior to consumption.
• It is not necessary to boil water for other uses such as bathing, laundry, or other household uses.

Customers with current contact information listed on their account will be alerted directly. If you have questions or concerns, please contact City of Bloomington Utilities at 812-339-1444 or by email at [email protected].

CBU will issue a follow-up news release when the precautionary Boil Water Advisory has been lifted.