The City of Mercer Island, Washington has issued another statement on the boil water advisory in place for E. coli found in the water supply. Officials have set a timeline for ending the advisory. For the fifth day in a row, all of the latest water-sample tests are clear.
But one child has been diagnosed with an E. coli O157:H7 infection. Lab tests are still pending to see if this illness is linked to the water supply problem or is the result of exposure to another source such as contaminated meat, raw milk, or feces.
Mayor Bruce Bassett said, “We know this incident has been challenging, and we thank Islanders for their patience, as well as star and partner agencies. At this point, we are all eager to see life return to normal, but our first priority is protecting the health of our citizens. The City has posted maps identifying sample sites, actions, data points, and water infrastructure.
All of the City’s priority water supply areas are being flushed. More chlorine is being injected into the system. A specialized consulting firm has been retained to comb through data sets and information to try to set long-term operational changes.
More than 50% of the City’s food service establishments are open with limited menus. The City is also assisting Small Business Disaster Assistance Loan programs for affected restaurants. For questions and more information, contact the City of Mercer Island hotline at 206-275-7800.
