AS A PRECAUTION

MDC Warns Residents To Boil Water

Advisory Affects Hartford, 9 Towns

By MARK SPENCER | The Hartford Courant

The advisory was issued Wednesday at the request of the state Department of Public Health for Bloomfield, Glastonbury, Portland, Windsor, Hartford, East Hartford, West Hartford, South Windsor and parts of East Granby and Windsor Locks. The MDC said it is conducting a study to determine why microscopic aquatic organisms called "copepods" and "rotifers" have been detected in the drinking water distribution system coming through the district's Reservoir No. 6 water treatment facility in Bloomfield.

The organisms are commonly present in the raw water supplied to the treatment facility and are not harmful to humans, according to the MDC. It added that the organisms do not cause any known health effects and the boiling water advisory is simply a precaution. Stephen Pratt, MDC assistant manager of water treatment and quality, said the organisms were found during testing Wednesday following a customer complaint Tuesday.

The MDC is increasing chlorine in the affected facility and taking other measures, he said. The advisory could be lifted by this weekend in consultation with the health department, Pratt said. East Hartford, Glastonbury, Portland and South Windsor will temporarily not receive water from Reservoir No. 6.

Updated information can be found on the MDC website, or by calling 860-278-7850, Ext. 3600.