A boil water notice has been issued for a roughly two-block area in Los Angeles' Koreatown after routine testing detected E. coli bacteria in the neighborhood's water supply. The Los Angeles Department of Water & Power (LADWP) and the State Water Resources Control Board’s Division of Drinking Water are urging residents in the affected zone to use only boiled tap water or bottled water for drinking and cooking.
The advisory, which went into effect Tuesday, covers an area bordered by West 5th Street to the north, South Mariposa Avenue to the west, 6th Street to the south, and South Ardmore Avenue to the east.
Emergency response efforts include bottled water deliveries and door-to-door notifications for residents and business owners. Trucks carrying pallets of bottled water were deployed throughout the neighborhood, providing free supplies to residents. The office of LA Councilmember Heather Hutt, representing the affected district, is coordinating with LADWP and ensuring residents are informed about the notice. "LADWP has stated this is an isolated exposure, narrowed down to a singular testing location amongst many in the area," Hutt's office stated. Staff from Hutt's office are walking through the affected area to notify residents and business owners and assist with distributing free bottled water and ice.
LADWP has stated that the contamination appears isolated and has no connection to the recent Boyle Heights fire. It remains unclear how long the boil water notice will be in effect as crews continue to test the water system.
Most strains of E. coli are harmless and are a natural part of the human digestive system. However, certain varieties can cause severe gastrointestinal illness, including bloody diarrhea, stomach cramps, vomiting, and fever, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).