Update on Boil Water Notice for Five Cities Residents
Author: Public Works
Date: 5/1/2025 2:19 PM
FIVE CITIES – The County continues to work on lifting the Boil Water Notice affecting residents in Pismo Beach, Grover Beach, Arroyo Grande, Oceano, and Avila Beach.
This is the first time a boil water notice has been triggered for the Lopez distribution system, and we are still working to identify the cause. Representatives from the State Division of Drinking Water will be on site Friday, May 2, 2025, to lead the investigation. Repeated positive samples of total coliform triggered a mandatory boil order by the State Division of Drinking Water. The repeated samples the County is collecting are showing a downward trend of this contaminant.
The affected cities and CSDs are conducting their own water testing, and the boil water notice may be lifted on a community-by-community basis. When the order is lifted, alerts will be sent via text through Reverse 911 and Alert SLO. You can sign up for either alert system at AlertSLO.org. Residents are advised to continue to boil water or use bottled water for consumption and for pets until the order is lifted. Residential/Commercial Reverse Osmosis (RO) systems may not filter all bacteria and the notice applies even if you have an RO system.
Coliform bacteria are commonly found in the environment and are used as indicators of potential contamination. The presence of coliform does not necessarily mean the water is unsafe, but it does trigger further testing to rule out the presence of harmful pathogens. If coliform or E. coli is detected, follow-up sampling is immediately conducted until no evidence of contamination remains.
The Boil Water Notice identifies that the purpose of boiling water is to avoid intestinal illness. Residents with stomach or intestinal distress may seek care with their primary care provider or urgent care facility. Restaurants may remain open during the Boil Water Notice if they comply with guidance found at ReadySLO.org/restaurantguidance, and are encouraged to contact County Environmental Health for guidance on complying with the notice at (805) 781-5544.
Please avoid calling fire or law enforcement for questions about the notice. More information and updates can be found at ReadySLO.org/WEA.
The affected cities and CSDs are conducting their own water testing, and the boil water notice may be lifted on a community-by-community basis. When the order is lifted, alerts will be sent via text through Reverse 911 and Alert SLO. You can sign up for either alert system at AlertSLO.org. Residents are advised to continue to boil water or use bottled water for consumption and for pets until the order is lifted. Residential/Commercial Reverse Osmosis (RO) systems may not filter all bacteria and the notice applies even if you have an RO system.
Coliform bacteria are commonly found in the environment and are used as indicators of potential contamination. The presence of coliform does not necessarily mean the water is unsafe, but it does trigger further testing to rule out the presence of harmful pathogens. If coliform or E. coli is detected, follow-up sampling is immediately conducted until no evidence of contamination remains.
The Boil Water Notice identifies that the purpose of boiling water is to avoid intestinal illness. Residents with stomach or intestinal distress may seek care with their primary care provider or urgent care facility. Restaurants may remain open during the Boil Water Notice if they comply with guidance found at ReadySLO.org/restaurantguidance, and are encouraged to contact County Environmental Health for guidance on complying with the notice at (805) 781-5544.
Please avoid calling fire or law enforcement for questions about the notice. More information and updates can be found at ReadySLO.org/WEA.
