Slick Oklahoma Boil Water Notice Issued After E. Coli Detection
Slick Oklahoma Boil Water Notice Issued After E. Coli Found in Creek County Water System
A mandatory boil water notice is in effect for customers of the Slick Public Water Supply in Creek County after testing confirmed the presence of E. coli bacteria in the water system. Residents are being told not to drink untreated tap water and to use boiled or bottled water for drinking, cooking and other activities where water could be swallowed.
The Slick Oklahoma boil water notice will remain in effect while local officials work with the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality to address the contamination and conduct additional testing. Customers should continue following the precautions until the water system specifically announces that the notice has been lifted.
Slick Oklahoma Boil Water Notice Requires Water to Be Boiled Before Use
Customers should bring tap water to a full rolling boil for at least one minute and allow it to cool before using it.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's boil water guidance recommends using boiled or commercially bottled water during an advisory for drinking, preparing and cooking food and brushing teeth.
Residents should also use safe water for making ice, preparing baby formula, washing dishes and cleaning open wounds.
Parents should take additional precautions when bathing infants and young children who could swallow the water. The CDC recommends considering sponge baths for young children during a boil water advisory to reduce the risk of accidental ingestion.
Residents should also remember that water from a refrigerator dispenser or ice maker may not be safe simply because it has passed through a household filter. The CDC advises boiling tap water even when it has gone through a home water filter unless officials provide different instructions.
Previously made ice using water from the affected system should not be consumed.
For most routine bathing and showering, tap water can generally still be used during a boil water advisory as long as it is not swallowed, although residents should follow any additional instructions issued specifically for the Slick water system.
E. Coli Detection Signals Possible Fecal Contamination
The presence of E. coli in a public water supply is taken seriously because the bacteria can indicate that water has been contaminated by human or animal waste.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's national drinking water regulations identify E. coli as an indicator of possible fecal contamination and the potential presence of disease-causing microorganisms.
Exposure to contaminated drinking water can cause gastrointestinal illness.
Possible symptoms associated with disease-causing organisms in contaminated water can include diarrhea, stomach cramps, nausea and headaches. Some strains of E. coli can cause more serious illness.
Not everyone exposed to contaminated water will become sick, and those symptoms can also be caused by illnesses unrelated to the water supply.
Certain residents can face greater risks from contaminated drinking water, including infants, young children, some older adults and people with severely compromised immune systems.
Anyone experiencing severe or persistent symptoms should contact a healthcare provider and mention the potential exposure to contaminated water.
The confirmed detection does not by itself establish exactly how the Slick system became contaminated. Determining the source can require additional sampling and investigation of the water treatment and distribution system.
Slick and Oklahoma DEQ Working to Restore Safe Water
Local officials are working with the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality to address the problem and determine when the public water supply can safely return to normal use.
Public water systems generally must complete corrective measures and follow-up testing before a boil water notice issued because of bacterial contamination can be lifted.
Residents should not assume the water is safe because it looks, smells or tastes normal. Bacterial contamination may not produce an obvious change in the appearance or taste of tap water.
The EPA's drinking water information explains that microbial contamination can enter water supplies from several sources, including human or animal waste and problems involving treatment or distribution systems.
Until Slick officials announce that testing confirms the system is safe, customers should continue boiling water for at least one minute or using bottled water for consumption and food preparation.
Once the notice is lifted, residents should follow any flushing or other instructions provided by the water system or DEQ before returning to normal use.
The situation is particularly important for families preparing infant formula, people caring for elderly or immunocompromised residents and businesses that use tap water in food or beverage preparation.
The Slick Oklahoma boil water notice remains the key public health precaution for customers of the Creek County water system, with residents urged to continue using boiled or bottled water until officials confirm through testing that the water is safe.
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