NATICK, MA – Natick residents must boil drinking water for at least the next few days after water tests proved E. coli bacteria in the water supply.
The boiling water notice took place amid the Natick Board of Selectmen meeting. The new interim city administrator Robert Rooney made the announcement, saying nine of the 12 recent water tests are positive for the bacteria. Rooney said the notice would last until Saturday because the town would have to test the water samples again.
According to a boiling water notice, residents must first boil water for at least one minute before drinking, boiling, brushing teeth or any activity involving water intake.
Rooney does not know why the tests came back positive. Another round of tests will be performed to verify the results.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, E. coli can cause symptoms such as stomach cramps, diarrhea and vomiting. It can take up to four days before the disease appears, and a small number of people – between 5 and 10 percent – can develop a fatal condition called hemolytic uremic syndrome, which can cause kidney failure.