Deerfield Issues Boil Order for Drinking Water

All Deerfield water used for drinking, making ice, brushing teeth, washing dishes and food preparation must be boiled before use until further notice, according to a news release issued today by the Village.

“Bring all water to a boil, let it boil for one minute and let it cool before using,” the Village said in the release. “Or, use bottled water. Boiling water kills bacteria and other organisms in the water.”

Fecal Coliform has contaminated the Village’s water supply. Fecal Coliform “is a bacteria which whose presence indicates that the water may be contaminated with human or animal wastes,” according to the release.

Deerfield expects to resolve the problem in the next 48 hours but people should continue to boil their water until they are informed otherwise by the Village. The Village’s water department will perform 10 tests over the next 24 hours to determine whether bacteria remain in the water.

Ingesting water with microbes from the waste can cause diarrhea, cramps, nausea, headaches or other symptoms. Infants, young children and people with severely compromised immune system are particularly at risk, according to the release.

For more information, people can contact the Village of Deerfield Department of Public Works and Engineering (847.317.7245 or PublicWorks@deerfield.il.us).

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