MAYVILLE, N.Y The Chautauqua County Health Department has issued a boil water order for all Village of Fredonia water customers, including those that live outside of the village in the Town of Pomfret effective Friday, March 27th. A disruption at the water treatment plant led to water with elevated levels of turbidity entering the distribution system; this water could contain harmful microbes. The water entering the water treatment plant from the Fredonia Reservoir has high levels of turbidity which cannot be adequately treated at the water treatment plant. Boiling the water kills bacteria and other microbes that may be present.
The New York State Department of Health requires that anytime water is not adequately treated a boil water order must be issued to notify customers. All Fredonia water customers must boil water used for drinking, cooking, making ice, brushing teeth and making coffee until further notice. Water must be brought to a rolling boil for one minute then cooled prior to use.
Boiled or bottled water must be used to wash dishes by hand; dishes should be allowed to completely air dry after washing. Home dishwashers that reach a temperature of 170⁰F and have a full dry cycle can be used in place of boiled water. The water may be used for bathing as long as it is not consumed. The water is safe for laundry.
For more information on boiling water and emergency disinfection visit the New York State Department of Health website at https://www.health.ny.gov/environmental/water/drinking/boilwater/. Press releases will be posted on the Chautauqua County website at https://chqgov.com/news. For more information, residents should call the Village of Fredonia at (716) 679-2307 and Chautauqua County Health Department permitted facilities can call the Health Department directly at (716) 753-4481.
About Chautauqua County Health Department - The Chautauqua County Health Department is the leading Public Health organization in Chautauqua County dedicated to the support of the community’s health. The Health Department takes innovative approaches to provide technical assistance to partner organizations, and offers various programs and services in order to help prevent disease, protect the public’s health and promote our community’s overall health and wellness. For more information visit www.HealthyCHQ.com.
