The city of Kalamazoo issued a boil water advisory for a large part of its water system Saturday.
That's after a sample of city water collected Thursday tested positive for E. coli bacteria on Friday, and a follow-up sample tested positive for coliform group bacteria, though not E. coli specifically, on Saturday.
The city advises customers under the advisory to use bottled water or boil tap water for two minutes before using it for "drinking, making ice, preparing food, brushing teeth, washing dishes, or other consumptive purposes."
The presence of E. coli "indicates that the water may be contaminated with human or animal wastes," the city noted in a statement.
"Human pathogens in these wastes can cause short-term effects, such as diarrhea, cramps, nausea, headaches, or other symptoms. They may pose a greater health risk for infants, young children, some of the elderly, and people with severely-compromised immune systems."
According to the statement, the city expects to lift the advisory by Tuesday.
The city's website has more information about the advisory and its water testing protocols.
