LINCOLN, N.D. -- A boil water order is currently in effect in the city of Lincoln just outside of Bismarck after a water sample from a house tested positive for E.coli bacteria.
The North Dakota Department of Health notified city officials this morning that E.coli bacteria was found in water samples taken from a home on June 11 and June 18.
Residents must bring all water to a boil for a minute and let it cool before using it, or drink bottled water. Boiled or bottled water should be used for drinking, making ice, brushing teeth, washing dishes and food preparation until further notice.
Although Bismarck provides water to Lincoln through a master meter system, the boil order is only being applied to Lincoln, according to Greg Wavra, manager of the Department of Health's Drinking Water Program.
"It’s just isolated to Lincoln. It’s their distribution system," he said.
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Lincoln Mayor Gerarld Wise said houses on each side of the house that tested positive for E.coli have tested negative twice, but out of precaution the city had to go under a boil order.
Wavra said the Health Department will not lift the boil order until water samples from all nine site locations come back satisfactorily. Additional samples will be taken this afternoon, and it takes 24 hours to get results back from the lab.
