BALTIMORE — The Boil Water Advisory was lifted in certain areas of Baltimore where E. coli was found in the water. This is after samples were retested from those area and came back negative.
The Precautionary Boil Water Advisory has been lifted for a portion of Baltimore City and the area of concern in Baltimore County.
Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott and Department of Public Works Director Jason Mitchell provided an update Wednesday evening about the advisory that had been issued after E. coli and total coliform were detected in the water in West Baltimore.
They said several rounds of water quality tests were performed by DPW in the areas covered by the Precautionary Boil Water Advisory and all results confirmed that the water is safe to consume.
Mayor Scott has also announced a 25 percent discount will be given on the next cycle of water bills to every Baltimore City resident.
MORE: 30-inch water main in Ashburton identified as possible source of contaminated water
Officials said the precautionary area for which the advisory is being lifted did not have any positive bacteria results but was necessary to ensure public health protection.
MORE: 'You have my word Baltimore': One sample site still testing positive for E. Coli
A 30-inch water main in the Ashburton neighborhood has been identified possible source. Six locations are identified and a technician was called to collect samples.
The Precautionary Boil Water Advisory has been lifted for the following boundaries:
- The area south and southwest of Route 40, including the original Precautionary area in Baltimore County (See map below)
The Required Boil Water Advisory remains in effect for the following boundaries:
- West Baltimore: North and South Riggs Avenue to West Franklin Street and East and West Carey Street to Pulaski Avenue
Mayor Scott said that still impacts about 1,000 residents.
Scott and Mitchell said the reason there is partial lifting and not a full lifting is that DPW is awaiting analytical data from the laboratory to confirm that there is no E. coli and Total Coliform in the samples taken within the Required Boil Water Advisory and remaining Precautionary area.
Residents should take the following steps after the lifting of a boil water advisory:
- Run all cold water taps for fifteen (15) minutes.
- If you have a single-lever faucet, set it to run cold water.
- Begin with the lowest faucet in your home or business and then open the other faucets one at a time, moving from your lowest floor to your highest.
- After fifteen (15) minutes, turn off your faucets in reverse order, from highest to lowest.
- You should also flush your refrigerator's water lines.
- All ice made since the boil water advisory was put in place should be discarded, as well as the next three batches.
- Ice maker containers should be wiped clean with a solution of two tablespoons bleach to one gallon of water.
- Apartment buildings and multi-story buildings should notify all residents, occupants and users of this procedure and flush starting the closest tap to the water connection moving outward.
RELATED: DPW to distribute more clean water to Baltimore residents impacted by contaminated water
Residents and facilities that remain under the Required and Precautionary Boil Water Advisory should continue to boil water for one minute before consuming or use bottled water.
DPW updated its Interactive Map detailing the boundaries.
The three water distribution areas established by the Office of Emergency Management will remain open until further notice.
Those sites are:
- 1401 W. Lafayette Ave., Harlem Park Elementary/Middle School
- 3301 Waterview Ave., Middle Branch Park
- 500 3rd Ave., Lansdowne Library
Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott shared a Baltimore Water Testing timeline.
Friday, Sept. 2: Routinne water samples are taken for testing at Engine 8 on W. Lafayette Street.
Saturday, Sept. 3: Routine water samples from Engine 8 test positive for E. coli. City resamples Engine 8, and sites that are upstream and downstream of the fire station.
Sunday, Sept. 4: Engine 8 resample and one downstream sample (N. Mount Street) test positive for E. coli. One upstream sample (N. Carey Street) tests positive for total coliform. DPW begins flushing the water system.
Monday, Sept. 5: City resamples Engine 8, N. Carey Street and N. Mount Street, as well as locations that are upstream and downstream of those sites. City also resamples 15 locations from Friday.
Tuesday, Sept. 6: City resamples remaining Friday tests and as much of rest of system as possible. Begin high frequency testing of original three sites. N. Mount Street resample tests positive for E. coli. Engine 8 and N. Carey Street resamples test negative for E. coli and total coliform.
Wednesday, Sept. 7: High frequency sampling of initial locations continues. Samples are collected at all City/County locations. MDE-required sampling along 30-inch Water Main from Ashburton suspected as possible source. Six locations are identified and a technician is dispatched to collect samples. The Precautionary Boil Water Advisory has been lifted for a portion of Baltimore City and the area of concern in Baltimore County.
The Office of Acute Communicable Diseases currently has two active cases of being sick, but it is too soon to say if they are directly linked to the water.
