The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) is rescinding a drinking water advisory for the City of Mayfield and Sumner County Rural Water Districts 1, 2 and 3. 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.
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 worked with KDHE to ensure their public water supply systems were monitored until laboratory testing indicated microcystins levels were below the EPA 10-day Health Advisory level of 0.3 micrograms per liter for bottle-fed infants and children under 6 years old. The City of Wellington continues to participate in KDHE’s voluntary monitoring program and will collect weekly samples until the end of October, when the Harmful Algal Bloom season ends.
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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