Water System Disinfection & Chlorination

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Water Contamination Event 9/22 - 9/24/18

City of Hastings and MN Dept of Health Followup Assessment - Date: 10/1/2018

The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) has completed the investigation regarding the water contamination event that took place from Saturday, September 22 through Monday, September 24. The MDH's final report states that they were unable to pinpoint a specific cause for the bacteria contamination. However, the report identifies several possibilities. The MDH is strongly recommending that the City of Hastings move forward with a plan for permanent chlorination of the system. The City will be taking up a feasibility study to determine what physical system modifications will be necessary to implement permanent chlorination and what financial impact it would have. Full reports on all data are available below.

MN Department of Health Level 2 Assessment Summary and Recommendations 9/28/2018

Communications and Operational Timeline Incident Review 10/1/2018

Frequently Asked Questions

Chlorination Concerns

City-wide chlorination will begin on Monday, October 8. Many residents have questions about the chlorination we are currently using. Questions regarding smell, taste, and safety concerns have come up. We have created a separate page all about Chlorination.

How do I sign up for Dakota Communication Center (DCC) Emergency Notifications?

Directions for DCC Emergency Notification Registration

Link to DCC Emergency Notification Page

Why didn't you use the Nixle notification system?

We chose the DCC notification tool because it is part of the City's Emergency Operations Plan. This allowed us to reach the most people in the shortest amount of time because it already had a large built-in database of phone numbers. By contrast, the City's Nixle service is an "opt-in" program, where all users have to voluntarily sign up and register. Currently, the City's Nixle service has approximately 700 registered users, and the DCC's phone number database, just for the affected area of the water contamination event, has approximately 5,000.

Will the City discount water bills due to the event?

Water service remained operational during the event, and with the proper step of boiling water before consumption or cooking, water continued to be usable. Just as there are no rebates from electric companies when power goes out, there will not be rebates or discounts for this water-related event. We apologize for the temporary inconvenience it caused. Thanks for working through it with us.

Did anyone get sick from e.coli? If so, how many?

The Minnesota Department of Health has a health surveillance tracking system in their Infections Disease Epidemiology, Prevention and Control Division (IDEPC). If there are any cases reported, either to local clinics and hospitals, or to the toll free number provided by MDH, they will share that with the public. So far, there have been no patterns in the Hastings area or surrounding communities as of October 1, 2018.

If you feel you experienced negative affects or illness from the incident, you may call:1-877-676-5414

 

Full Event and Announcement History

Saturday 9/22/2018

Sunday 9/23/2018

Monday 9/24/2018

Tuesday 9/25/2018

Friday 9/28/2018

Citywide Chlorination Mailing Notification 10/6/2018

 

Minnesota Department of Health Frequently Asked Questions

Map of Impacted Areas for Boil Water Advisory & Disinfection Zone