Dorset water update

DORSET — Officials have announced that water levels in the reservoirs and other sources supplying Dorset’s municipal water system have returned to a safe enough level to allow the system to return to 24-hour service, but are cautioning residents in the district served by the system to continue to be as frugal as possible in their use of municipal water.

But the injunction to boil water intended for drinking or brushing teeth remains in effect.

The water restrictions set by the Dorset Fire District 1 required   users of the  public water system to refrain from  outside water usage such as washing cars, watering lawns or filling swimming pools. Residents were also asked to be judicious in their general use of water.

The water emergency went into effect on Monday, Sept. 19, when the water in Dorset’s reservoir was found to be 20 inches below normal.

These restrictions applied to the roughly 400 residents of Dorset Village served by the municipal system.

However, resident should continue to boil drinking water, an announcement issued Wednesday, Oct. 19 stated.

“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,” the announcement said.

Boiling drinking water is necessary  to kill potentially harmful bacteria, according to the announcement.