UPDATE: New Jersey American Water announced Thursday afternoon that the advisory has been lifted.
A boil water advisory has been issued for three Salem County towns after E. coli was detected in a source water well.
Residents in Salem City, Quinton Township and Mannington Township are advised to boil their water before use, New Jersey American Water said in a statement on Wednesday night.
The water company stated that customers should bring water to a rolling boil for one minute and let it cool before using. For drinking, bottled water is also recommended.
Any beverages, ice cubes or uncooked food made with cold tap water should also be thrown away.
On Tuesday, a sample was collected from Salem City’s Well 6, which tested positive for E. coli. The water company is now collecting another five samples to confirm if there is a presence of E. coli in the well.
E. coli are microbes whose presence indicates contamination caused by human or animal waste. Exposure can lead to short-term health effects including diarrhea, cramps, nausea and headaches.
On Thursday afternoon, New Jersey American Water said it was “pleased to report additional samples were collected, and results show no presence of E. coli.”
Stories by Nicolas Fernandes
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Nicolas Fernandes may be reached at nfernandes@njadvancemedia.com.