Hastings issued a boil water advisory Saturday evening after E. coli bacteria was found in a section of the public water system.
According to the alert, the bacteria is isolated to one section of the system.
“The MN Dept of Health and the City of Hastings are working together to try to identify the cause of the positive results,” the city stated. “We will inform you when tests show no coliform bacteria and you no longer need to boil your water. We anticipate resolving problem within 3-5 days.”
The city will be adding chlorine to that area Saturday and Sunday to disinfect the water. The addition of chlorine may react with iron and manganese in water mains, causing the water to temporarily appear black or reddish-brown in color but, the statement said, it does not present a health threat.
The city advises residents to let the water run for a few minutes to flush plumbing before using it for cooking or laundry. Fish tanks and bait shops should not use chlorinated water in tanks at this time.
Residents in the affected area should bring all drinking/cooking water to a full, rolling boil for over a minute and then let it cool before using, or just use bottled water. Boiled water should be used for drinking, making ice, brushing teeth and food prep until further notice.
E. coli bacteria, which indicates the water may be contaminated with human or animal waste, can cause short-term effects, such as diarrhea, cramps, nausea and headaches. Infants, young children, the elderly and people with severely compromised immune systems are most at risk.