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

On Friday August 16, 2024, City of Bloomington Utilities (CBU) violated a drinking water standard. This is not an emergency, but customers have a right to know what happened, what they should do, and what CBU is doing to correct this situation. A precautionary Boil Water Advisory is in effect until 9 a.m. Monday August 19, 2024 unless otherwise notified. More information is available at bloomington.in.gov/utilities or by calling 812-339-1444. 

CBU is required to monitor the drinking water for specific contaminants on a regular basis. The results of regular monitoring are an indicator of whether or not the drinking water meets the federal health rules. Results on Friday evening showed turbidity levels above the maximum level of 1 Unit permitted by the rule. Because of these high levels of turbidity, there is an increased chance that the water may have contained disease-causing organisms.

At the water treatment plant, sand that was being prepared for use in a new filter accidentally spilled out of its tank. This increased the turbidity (cloudiness from suspended matter) of the water. Staff immediately stopped the spill, stopped water from flowing, and began testing the water every 15 minutes to monitor turbidity. The turbidity of the water has been slowly decreasing since this reading. No contaminants have so far been detected, and water is flowing again. CBU expects the turbidity to be back within normal limits by 9 a.m. Monday August 19, 2024 or sooner. Until then, Monroe County will be under a precautionary boil water advisory. 

The spill occurred due to operator error during the preparation of a new filter. All treatment materials and equipment have been inspected and are functioning normally.   

The Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) requires all public water systems to issue a precautionary Boil Water Advisory when the turbidity is detected at 1 Unit or above. All 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.

Customers who have signed up for the Monroe County Alert will be alerted directly. Alternatively, CBU customers may refer to the CBU website at bloomington.in.gov/utilities for a list of specific addresses affected. If you have not signed up for the Monroe County Alert, you may do so at www.co.monroe.in.us and click “Resident Alert Sign Up.” This tool enables CBU and other government offices to provide you with critical information quickly, including tornado warnings and advisories about road closures, missing persons, and evacuations that are specific to the addresses you register or the county as a whole. Register to receive time-sensitive messages via text, email, or home phone, and select what types of alerts you would like to receive. 

If you have questions or concerns, please contact the City of Bloomington Utilities at 812-339-1444 or by email at wq@bloomington.in.gov.