Great Barrington Fire District Customers Shouldn’t Drink the Water
Attention Great Barrington Fire District Customers. Do not drink your water without boiling it first. A fecal indicator, E. coli, was detected in a water sample collected from the source sample tap on Thursday, July 22, 2021. The Fire District was notified of this result on Friday, July 23, 2021.
Bring all water to a boil, let it boil for one minute and let it cool before using, or use bottled water. Boiled or bottled water should be used for drinking, making ice, brushing teeth, washing dishes and food preparation until further notice. Boiling kills bacteria and viruses in the water. Discard ice, juice, formula, and food that were prepared using tap water collected on or after Thursday, July 22, 2021.
Fecal indicators are microbes whose presence indicates that the water may be contaminated with human or animal wastes. Microbes in these wastes can cause diarrhea, cramps, nausea, headaches, or other symptoms. They may pose a special health risk for infants, young children, some of the elderly, and people with severely-compromised immune systems. If you have specific health concerns, consult your doctor.
The Fire District does provide chlorine disinfection and had no E. coli or total coliform bacteria in samples collected from the distribution system. The Fire District is conducting additional tests and assessments. You will be informed when the boil water requirement is lifted or when new information is available.
Please note, this order does not apply to Housatonic Water Works customers. For more information, please call the Fire District directly at 528-0133.