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DRINKING WATER WARNING

E. coli is present in the City of Melbourne’s water

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BOIL YOUR WATER BEFORE USING

E. coli bacteria were found in one routine sample point at 1037 Ashley Avenue in Indian Harbour Beach on April 10, 2025.  These bacteria can make you sick and are especially a concern for people with weakened immune systems.

This positive E.coli sample could be due to a laboratory error and was only found at 1 location in the water system. However, bacterial contamination can occur when increased run-off enters the drinking water source (for example, following heavy rains). It can also happen due to a break in the distribution system (pipes) or a failure in the water treatment process.

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What should I do? What does this mean?

• DO NOT DRINK THE WATER WITHOUT BOILING IT FIRST. Bring all water to a boil, let it boil for one minute and let it cool before using, or use bottled water. Boiled or bottled water should be used for drinking, making ice, brushing teeth, washing dishes, and food preparation until further notice. Boiling kills bacteria and other organisms in the water. 
• *E. coli are bacteria whose presence indicates that the water may be contaminated with human or animal wastes. Human pathogens in these wastes can cause short-term effects, such as diarrhea, cramps, nausea, headaches, or other symptoms. They may pose a greater health risk for infants, young children, the elderly, and people with severely compromised immune systems. *
• The symptoms above are not caused only by organisms in drinking water. If you experience any of these symptoms and they persist, you may want to seek medical advice. People at increased risk should seek advice from their healthcare providers about drinking this water. 

What is being done?

Additional sampling upstream and downstream of 1037 Ashley Avenue in Indian Harbour Beach has been collected.  We will inform you when tests show no bacteria are present and you no longer need to boil your water. We anticipate resolving the problem within 48-hours of this notification.

For more information

Please see this list of Frequently Asked Questions. You may also call 321-608-5700. 

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