Village of Fredonia Announces Boil Water Advisory and Water Conservation Order

BOIL WATER ADVISORY AND WATER CONSERVATION ORDER

The Village of Fredonia Water System has high turbidity levels

BOIL YOUR WATER BEFORE USING

THE VILLAGE OF FREDONIA AND CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT ARE ADVISING ALL CUSTOMERS SERVED BY THE VILLAGE DRINKING WATER SUPPLY TO BOIL ALL WATER FOR DRINKING AND CULINARY PURPOSES. THIS INCLUDES CUSTOMERS IN THE TOWN OF POMFRET WHO OBTAIN THEIR WATER FROM THE VILLAGE.

A drinking water standard was violated. Your water is routinely monitored for turbidity (cloudiness) to determine if it is effectively being filtered. A water sample taken 9/9/20 showed turbidity levels of 1.1 turbidity units. This is above the maximum allowable standard of 1.0 turbidity units. Because of these high levels of turbidity, there is an increased chance that the water may contain disease-causing organisms.

DO NOT DRINK THE WATER WITHOUT BOILING IT FIRST. Bring all water to a boil, let it boil for one minute, and let it cool before using, or use bottled water certified for sale by the New York State Department of Health. Boiled or bottled water should be used for drinking, making ice, brushing teeth, washing dishes, and food preparation until further notice.

Turbidity has no health effects. However, turbidity can interfere with disinfection and provide a medium for microbial growth.  Turbidity may indicate the presence of disease causing organisms. These organisms include bacteria, viruses, and parasites,which can cause symptoms such as nausea, cramps, diarrhea, and associated headaches.

The symptoms above are not just caused by organisms in drinking water. If you experience any of these symptoms and they persist, you may want to seek medical advice. People with severely compromised immune systems, infants, and some elderly may be at increased risk. These people should seek advice about drinking water from their health care providers.

CONSERVE WATER
Only use as much tap water as is essential. No outside watering of lawns, shrubs, plants, etc. No washing cars, trucks, trailers, decks, houses, sidewalks, driveways, etc. Use paper plates and utensils to avoid dishwashing. Limit showers and baths. Do only full loads of laundry.

What Happened? What is being done?

Elevated levels of finished water turbidity is likely caused by a combination of several issues that are happening concurrently:  ongoing construction activities at the Fredonia Water Treatment Plant, fluctuations of pH levels of the reservoir, age of filter media and other pieces of equipment in the water plant, lack of rain and higher than normal temperatures.

The construction activities will be ongoing and are part of an upgrade project currently being performed at the water plant. The filter units are scheduled for maintenance the week of 9/14/20 through 9/18/20, which will involve replacing the filter media andmaking improvements to the backwash equipment. During this time, the plant will be partially shut down to allow for the improvements to be completed. After the improvements to the filter are completed, the turbidity levels are in compliance and water samples tested for bacteria show the water is satisfactory, the boil water advisory will be lifted.

You will be informed when you no longer need to boil your water.

For more information, please contact Mayor Doug Essek of the Village of Fredonia at 716-679-2307 or 716-410-1558 or the Chautauqua County Health Dept. at 716-753-4481.

Please share this information with all the other people who drink this water, especially those who may not have received this notice directly (for example, people in apartments, nursing homes, schools, and businesses). You can do this by posting this notice in a public place or distributing copies by hand or mail.

State Water System ID#: NY0600364 Date distributed: 9/10/20

 

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