UPDATE: Kansas Governor Laura Kelly has issued a declaration of disaster emergency for Wellington because of a drinking water advisory. The declaration applies to the city of Wellington, the city of Mayfield, and Sumner County Rural Water Districts 1, 2 and 3.
The Kansas Department of Health and Environment issued a drinking water advisory on Thursday. Samples collected by the City of Wellington reported levels of a blue-green algae toxin called microcystins in drinking water delivered to consumers.
The levels in drinking water exceeded the EPA’s 10-day Health Advisory levels of 0.3 micrograms per liter of microcystins for bottle fed infants and children under 6 years old. Bottle fed infants and children under 6 years old should not consume the water. The water may also not be safe for household pets.
For children over 6-years and adults the water remains acceptable for drinking, food preparation and all household use.
Officials are advising residents NOT to boil the water before use as boiling will only concentrate the microcystin.
Microcystins entered the public water supply due to blue-green algae blooms occurring in Wellington City Lake, which is the source water for the City of Wellington’s water supply. The City of Mayfield and Sumner Co. Rural Water Districts 1, 2 and 3 purchase water from the City of Wellington.
Officials will continue to monitor the public water supply. Additional samples will be collected and sent to the laboratory for analysis.
Additional information can be found here.
People and animals should always take steps to stay away from any blooms in surface waters because contact can make people and animals sick.
