The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) is rescinding a drinking water advisory for the City of Wellington in Sumner County. Laboratory testing indicates the cyanotoxin concentration is below the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) 10-day Health Advisory levels of 0.3 micrograms per liter of microcystins for bottle fed infants and children under 6 years old.
The advisory remains in effect for the City of Mayfield and Sumner County Rural Water Districts 1, 2 and 3 until laboratory testing indicates the cyanotoxin concentration is below the EPA 10-day Health Advisory levels. It may take several days for water containing cyanotoxin to pass through each system’s water mains and distribution system piping. Customers of these public water systems should continue to observe the following precautions until further notice:
- Bottle fed infants and children under 6 should not consume the water. For children over 6 years and adults, the water remains acceptable for drinking, food preparation and all household use.
- Do not boil the water before use, as boiling concentrates the microcystins.
Microcystins entered Wellington’s public water supply system due to cyanobacteria, also known as blue-green algae, occurring in Wellington City Lake, which is the source water for the City. The City of Mayfield and Sumner County Rural Water Districts 1, 2 and 3 purchase water from the City of Wellington.
The City of Wellington, the City of Mayfield, and Sumner County Rural Water Districts 1, 2 and 3 are working with KDHE and will continue to monitor their public water supply systems. Additional samples will be collected and sent to the laboratory for analysis to confirm the microcystins levels consistently remain below the EPA 10-day Health Advisory level of 0.3 micrograms per liter for bottle fed infants and children under 6 years old in drinking water delivered to consumers.
People and animals should always take steps to stay away from any blooms in surface waters because contact can make people and animals sick.
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