Kechi under boil water advisory after water main break

KECHI, Kan. (KSNW) — The City of Kechi is under a boil water advisory after a water main break during the overnight hours and early Friday.

The break, just east of 61st Street North and Oliver, caused some people to lose their water service.

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment said the water main break also caused pressure loss in the water distribution system, which can allow bacteria to enter.

Public Works crews have been trying to fix the problem. Kechi City Administrator Matt Jensby gave KSN an update at 12:30 on Friday.

“Last update I had was they were awaiting a contractor to excavate the area to access the pipe,” he said. “The pressure on the system was anticipated to increase gradually as pipes filled back up.”

The KDHE says Kechi customers should observe the following precautions until further notice:

• Boil water for one minute before 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. However, children must be supervised while bathing to prevent water from being ingested. Persons with cuts or severe rashes may wish to consult their physicians.

Only the KDHE can rescind a boil water advisory. That won’t happen until the water has been tested at a certified laboratory.

Kechi water customers with questions can call 316-744-9287 or the KDHE at 785-296-5514 . For consumer information, please visit KDHE’s PWS Consumer Information website: kdhe.ks.gov/waterdisruption .

Restaurants and other food establishments that have questions about the boil water advisory’s impact on their business can contact the Kansas Department of Agriculture’s food safety and lodging program at kda.fsl@ks.gov or call 785-564-6767 .

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