Contamination Forces Koreatown Boil-Water Mandate
The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) issued a boil-water notice for a two-block area in Koreatown on Wednesday. The order follows the detection of E. coli bacteria during routine water quality testing.
The notice impacts residents and businesses located between South Ardmore Avenue to the west, South Mariposa Avenue to the east, West 5th Street to the north, and West 6th Street to the south. The restriction remains in effect while the utility conducts follow-up testing.
Tracing the Positive Test Result
The LADWP initiated the notice after a single water quality testing station returned a positive result for E. coli on Tuesday. According to the department, the action was taken out of an abundance of caution while staff perform additional water sampling and testing.
While there was no information on what caused the positive test result, the LADWP explicitly stated that the positive test is not linked to the warehouse fire in Boyle Heights. The department confirmed that “fire-related contaminants” were not found in the water samples.
Mandatory Precautions for Local Residents
The LADWP advises all customers within the defined boundaries to bring tap water to a boil for one minute and let it cool before use. This applies to the following activities:
- Drinking
- Cooking and food preparation
- Brushing teeth
- Making ice cubes
Field Response and Outreach
The department has deployed field crews to the area to distribute bottled water to affected customers and businesses requiring ice. Staff are also conducting door-to-door outreach to hand out information about the notice.
Path to Lifting the Restriction
As of Wednesday evening, the LADWP has not provided a specific timeline for when the notice will be lifted. The restriction will stay in place until testing is complete.
The department has committed to notifying customers "immediately" once the notice is lifted.