Boil water advisory issued for 3 N.J. towns after E. coli detection

A boil water advisory has been issued for three Salem County towns after E. coli was detected in a source water well.

Residents in Salem City, Quinton Township and Mannington Township are advised to boil their water before use, New Jersey American Water said in a statement on Wednesday night.

The water company stated that customers should bring water to a rolling boil for one minute and let it cool before using. For drinking, bottled water is also recommended.

Any beverages, ice cubes or uncooked food made with cold tap water should also be thrown away.

On Tuesday, a sample was collected from Salem City’s Well 6, which tested positive for E. coli. The water company is now collecting another five samples to confirm if there is a presence of E. coli in the well.

At this time, no E. coli has been found in New Jersey American Water’s distribution systems, the company said.

E. coli are microbes whose presence indicates contamination caused by human or animal waste. Exposure can lead to short-term health effects including diarrhea, cramps, nausea and headaches.

Residents in the three towns should boil their water until further notice.

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Nicolas Fernandes may be reached at nfernandes@njadvancemedia.com.