Boil water advisory enters second day for nine CT towns as food establishments shut down

(WFSB) – Thousands of Connecticut Water Company customers across nine towns are entering a second day under a boil water advisory after bacteria was detected in a water sample in Essex, according to Connecticut Water Company and local officials.

Tap water in the affected towns may only be used for bathing and laundry. Consuming tap water is not permitted until the advisory is lifted. The Connecticut River Health District has ordered all food establishments using tap water to close until further notice.

The nine affected towns are Deep River, Essex, Haddam, Chester, Old Saybrook, Madison, Guilford, Westbrook, and Clinton.

Free water available at three locations

Connecticut Water Company has deployed portable water tankers at three locations.

Residents may bring their own containers, with a limit of five gallons per person. Tanker locations are:

John Winthrop Middle School — EssexWestbrook Fire Department — WestbrookMadison Commuter Lot — off Interstate 95, Madison

Each tanker holds more than 6,000 gallons of clean drinking water.

Residents respond

Westbrook resident Zach Williams was among those who showed up at a tanker site — bringing water not just for himself but for his dog, Oscar.

“At first, I was shocked, you know. How could this even happen,” Williams said.

“We don’t want to get sick. We don’t want our pets to get sick either. So it’s very important,” he said.

Private wells unaffected

Homes with private wells are not impacted by the advisory.

John Palmero, Westbrook’s director of emergency management, said well water remains safe.

“You are getting water from the water table in the ground, which the ground is sand and everything else is a natural cleaning system. It filtrates the water as it goes through, and that is how you end up with clean water,” Palmero said.

Investigation ongoing

Connecticut Water Company is continuing tests in coordination with the Connecticut Department of Public Health.

Residents in the nine affected towns are advised not to drink tap water until the advisory is lifted.