Drinks, Food, Ice At Risk Of Contamination In Falmouth

FALMOUTH, MA — Residents don’t need to boil their water, but the town is warning they should not use what’s come out of their taps recently.

Due to a risk of contamination, officials said, people here should discard any ice, beverages, infant formula or uncooked food made with Falmouth water on or before Tuesday, April 7.

The current water supply is safe to use, the town emphasized.

The precaution stems from tests on Tuesday showing untreated water from one of Falmouth’s four municipal wells had been contaminated with a strain of bacteria known as E. coli. The Falmouth Water Department said it immediately shut down the well.

The town treats its water supply with chlorine in order to kill viruses and bacteria, including E. coli. Testing of the disinfected water shows no signs of contamination, a notice from the department said.

Still, Falmouth is urging care because its disinfection system has not yet been approved by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection.

E. coli is a “fecal indicator” – meaning the sampled water may have been contaminated with human or animal waste. Microbes in the waste can cause diarrhea, nausea and other symptoms, and can be especially dangerous for people with weakened immune systems.

The town said it is now flushing raw water from the well, will continue testing, and is working with the DEP to ensure the water supply is safe.