UPDATE: Schools will be open Thursday in the Peabody-Burns school district. The water main break has been repaired but the city is still under a boil water advisory. Bottled water will be provided for students and staff.
(previous story)
A water main break in the city of Peabody has forced a closure of schools for Wednesday in the Peabody-Burns School District.
Officials with USD 398 said there was no water to the school buildings because of the break.
The Kansas Department of Health and Environment has issued a boil water advisory for Peabody, because the break caused a loss of pressure in the system. That raises concerns for bacterial contamination.
Residents are urged to take the following steps:
- Boil water for one minute prior to drinking or food preparation or use bottled water.
- Dispose of ice cubes and do not use ice from a household automatic icemaker.
- If your tap water appears dirty, flush the water lines by letting the water run until it clears.
- Disinfect dishes and other food contact surfaces by immersion for at least one minute in clean tap water that contains one teaspoon of unscented household bleach per gallon of water.
- Water used for bathing does not generally need to be boiled. Supervision of children is necessary while bathing so that water is not ingested. Persons with cuts or severe rashes may wish to consult their physicians.
