Do not drink order issued for Saline Co. mobile home park

SALINA, Kan. (KSNW) — The Kansas Department of Health and Environment has issued a rare Do Not Drink order for a mobile home park in Saline County.

The agency says the water at Sundowner Mobile Home Park West is unsafe to consume due to unsafe levels of manganese and a recent loss of pressure in the system. Usually, with a loss of pressure, the KDHE issues a boil advisory. However, due to the high concentration of manganese, the water is unsafe to use.

While it is one of the most abundant elements on earth and a necessary nutrient, high levels of manganese are toxic , especially to children and pregnant women. Boiling the water will not remove it, but it will concentrate it.

It’s not the first time there have been water issues at the mobile home park. Ten days after KSN reported on residents’ complaints about the water system, the KDHE issued a boil order for the park.

The KDHE says residents of Sundowner West Mobile Home Park should take the following precautions:

• DO NOT GIVE TAP WATER TO INFANTS . Infants up to six months who drink water containing manganese exceeding the EPA Health Advisory Level for infants (300 ug/L) could experience adverse health effects.
• Tap water should not be used to prepare water, juice, and formula for infants. Instead, use bottled water or other water low in nitrates.
• DO NOT BOIL TAP WATER. Boiling cannot reduce manganese levels. Excessive boiling can concentrate the manganese as the water evaporates because the manganese remains in the water.
• Do not use water to cook or prepare food.
• Dispose of ice cubes and do not use ice from a household automatic icemaker.
• Tap water can be used for bathing. However, children must be supervised while bathing to prevent water from being ingested.
• Tap water may be used to flush toilets.

Click here to learn more about manganese from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.

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