The City of Bethel has issued a boil water notice for all hauled water customers in the city, as well as piped water customers who receive water from the Bethel Heights Water Treatment Plant. That plant provides piped water to the Housing subdivision, according to the city’s website.
The notice applies to customers who received hauled or piped water at any point on Aug. 6. The boil water notice will remain in effect until further notice.
According to the city, water customers who receive hauled water or piped water from the Bethel Heights treatment plant should boil water for at least two minutes before using it. Boiled or bottled water should be used for drinking, making ice, brushing teeth, washing dishes, and food preparation. It’s ok to use unboiled water for handwashing.
City officials say the boil water notice was put into place because of maintenance work at the water treatment plant, which caused the system to lose pressure twice. That loss of pressure means that the water could contain harmful microbes that can cause diarrhea, cramps, nausea, or other symptoms.
In order to lift the boil water notice, plant operators and staff will have to finish maintenance, take samples of the water at a variety of points around town, and then send the samples to Anchorage for testing.
