Boil Water Advisory Update for Manhattan:

The City of Manhattan Water Treatment Plant is now fully operational following an early morning power outage and subsequent issues with communication systems.

All water towers, with the exception of the northwest tower near Colbert Hills, are at normal levels. The issues at the northwest tower are indicative of continued high water demands in the area. The pump station that supplies this tower is fully operational and currently maintaining adequate pressures. Residents in this area are urged to continue to conserve water. Use water for essential matters only and discontinue irrigation practices until further notice.

All required bacteriological samples have been taken and are being delivered to the KDHE laboratory in Topeka. City staff has monitored the system and taken additional samples at various locations in the water distribution system. City staff is confident the results of the samples will result in zero contamination; however, the boil water advisory remains in effect. Only KDHE can lift the boil water advisory after results from the city’s samples become available. Those results are expected within 24 hours.

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MANHATTAN- A power outage at the water treatment plant on Monday led to temporary emergency water conservation in Manhattan.

City staff restored power just before 8 a.m. and now personnel are checking the systems and monitoring them to ensure there is enough water in the towers, according to Assistant Director of Public Works Water & Wastewater Randy DeWitt.

Since the outage, The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) issued a boil water advisory for City of Manhattan public water supply located in Riley County.

The power outage resulted in a loss of pressure, according to KDHE and the low pressure may result in a loss of chlorine residuals and bacterial contamination.