Boil-Water Advisory Issued for Monroe County After Treatment Plant Issues

< p>City of Bloomington Utilities issued a precautionary boil-water advisory for Monroe County early Sunday morning, September 20, 2026, after water turbidity exceeded maximum permitted drinking-water standards. According to City of Bloomington Utilities, storm-related power outages overnight triggered lower-than-normal water production at the Monroe Water Treatment Plant, causing water levels to fall in the plant’s primary storage tank and driving up turbidity levels across the system.

Monroe County Boil-Water Advisory Details and Timeline

Turbidity measures the cloudiness or suspended material present in water. Elevated levels of turbidity can interfere with the effectiveness of water treatment and disinfection processes. In response to the spike, utility staff increased water-quality monitoring and adjusted plant operations to stabilize production and reduce turbidity, according to the city.

Instructions for Monroe County Residents

City of Bloomington Utilities instructed all Monroe County residents to boil water used for drinking, cooking, and oral hygiene for at least two minutes before consuming it while the advisory remains active. Residents noticing cloudy water coming directly from a faucet are advised to run cold water from a sink or bathtub until the flow runs clear. According to the utility, water does not require boiling for bathing, laundry, or other routine household uses.

The Indiana Department of Environmental Management mandates a precautionary boil-water advisory whenever turbidity reaches the applicable regulatory threshold. City officials distinguished this countywide event from smaller advisories typically triggered by localized water-main breaks. A similar systemwide precautionary boil-water advisory occurred in Bloomington in August 2024 following a comparable turbidity issue at the treatment plant.

Customer Notifications and Contact Information

City of Bloomington Utilities reported that customers with current contact information on file receive direct notifications regarding the advisory. Residents seeking specific updates can contact City of Bloomington Utilities by phone at 812-339-1444 or via email at wq@bloomington.in.gov. The utility stated it will issue a formal public announcement as soon as the boil-water advisory is officially lifted.