The boil-water advisory issued last week for customers of Lancaster County Rural Water District 1 has been lifted, after new testing confirmed the system is free of bacterial contamination.
The district first issued the advisory on November 14 after routine monitoring detected E. coli, triggering an assessment of the system. According to the original notice, the detection indicated the potential presence of human or animal waste in the water supply — prompting precautionary guidance for residents to boil water for drinking, cooking, brushing teeth, making ice, and washing dishes.
In a follow-up notice, officials said the system has now completed corrective actions, including chlorination and resampling, and submitted special samples confirming the water is “total coliform–negative and E. coli–negative.”
“You no longer need to boil your water or use bottled water,” the district wrote, adding an apology for the inconvenience and thanking residents for their patience during the investigation.
E. coli contamination may cause gastrointestinal illness, including diarrhea, cramps, nausea, headaches, or other symptoms. Infants, young children, the elderly, and people with compromised immune systems are at higher risk.
The utility previously stated that bacterial contamination can occur for several reasons, including heavy runoff entering the water source, distribution system breaks, or failures in the treatment process. The district continued testing throughout the advisory while working to identify the source of the issue.
Customers with questions may contact system operator Jordon Bang at 402-720-6379. The full notice is available below.
