Overview
- Town officials said a routine sample taken July 7 tested positive for E. coli and the Norwell Water Department issued an immediate boil-water advisory for all its customers.
- Residents must bring tap water to a rolling boil for at least one minute or use bottled water for drinking, cooking, brushing teeth, making ice, and washing dishes.
- The town warned people to discard any ice, beverages, uncooked foods, or baby formula made with tap water collected on or after July 7 to avoid exposure.
- Norwell is working with the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection to find the contamination source and has said it will only rescind the advisory after follow-up tests show no bacteria.
- Officials noted common causes such as runoff, pipe breaks, or treatment failures and emphasized higher risk and possible symptoms for infants, the elderly, and people with weakened immune systems while providing local and federal hotlines for questions.