Boil Water Notice In Natick After E. Coli Found In Water

NATICK, MA — Natick residents have to boil drinking water for at least the next few days after water tests showed evidence of E. coli bacteria in the water supply.

The boil-water notice came in the midst of the Natick Board of Selectmen meeting. The new interim Town Administrator Robert Rooney made the announcement and said nine of 12 recent water tests were positive for the bacteria. Rooney said the notice will last through Saturday because the town will have to re-test the water samples.

Under a boil-water notice, residents must first boil water for at least one minute before drinking, cooking, brushing teeth or any activity that involves the ingestion of water.

Rooney did not know why the tests had come back positive. Another round of tests will be conducted to verify the results.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, E. coli can cause symptoms like stomach cramps, diarrhea and vomiting. The illness can take up to four days to appear, and a small number of people — between 5 and 10 percent — can develop a potentially fatal condition called hemolytic uremic syndrome, which can cause kidney failure.