E. coli has prompted a boil water advisory at Wellesley College. The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection issued the advisory for four buildings on the campus: Weston Terrace, Fiske House, the Wellesley Community Children’s Center, and the Child Study Center.
The advisory means that anyone using water in these four buildings should boil it before drinking it. The advisory was issued after a problem was discovered during routine testing of the water system. The system is being flushed and retested throughout the weekend.
No illnesses had been reported at the time the advisory was issued. E. coli symptoms usually develop within two to five days of exposure but can appear within 24 hours or take as long as 10 days to develop. They include stomach cramps and diarrhea, that is sometimes bloody. Sometimes these symptoms, which last about a week, are accompanied by a low-grade fever. Anyone who drank the water and developed theses symptoms should see a doctor.
