Boil water order issued after E. Coli bacteria found in Mansfield drinking water

MANSFIELD, Mass. (WLNE) — A boil water order was put into effect Sunday after E. Coli bacteria was found in Mansfield’s drinking water.

The order will remain in place until the town’s water tests negative for E. Coli for three straight days.

Residents can get free drinking water from a handout station at the Department of Public Works complex on East Street. Staff will be handing out water from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, and then from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. Monday-Wednesday.

Anyone going to the handout station needs a form of ID to verify that they live in Mansfield.

The bacteria was found in a water sample that was collected on Wednesday. The town was notified that the water was positive for E. Coli on Friday, at which point they collected three repeat samples. One of the samples was coliform positive.

“The total coliform positive repeat sample, following the E. coli positive routine sample constitutes an E. coli Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) violation,” the town said in a statement.

Mansfield residents should boil all water before drinking, making ice, brushing their teeth, washing dishes, and preparing food until further notice.

Anyone looking for more information should visit the town’s website.