Boil water advisory to Natick after discovery of E. Coli in water

NATICK, MA – Residents of Natick are required to boil drinking water for at least the next few days after water tests showed signs of E. coli bacteria in the water supply.

The boil water advisory came in the middle of Natick de Selectmen’s board meeting. The city’s new interim administrator, Robert Rooney, made the announcement and said nine of 12 recent water tests were positive for the bacteria. Rooney said the notice would last until Saturday because the city will have to retest the water samples.

Under a boil water advisory, residents must first boil water for at least one minute before drinking, cooking, brushing teeth, or any activity involving ingestion of water.

Rooney didn’t know why the tests came back positive. Another round of tests will be conducted to verify the results.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, E. coli can cause symptoms such as stomach cramps, diarrhea, and vomiting. The disease can take up to four days to appear, and a small number of people – between 5 and 10 percent – can develop a life-threatening condition called hemolytic uremic syndrome, which can cause kidney failure.