Residents in five neighborhoods near Tega Cay must boil their tap water after York County Utilities found elevated E. coli and total coliform in the water supply.
The boil water advisory affects utility customers in Hawks Creek, Stockbridge Drive, Coralstone Drive, Waterstone and Palmetto West. The area includes more than 1,300 homes, townhomes and apartments, according to the Rock Hill Herald. The Stockbridge Commons shopping center, which includes restaurants, a church, a community pool and a York County water tower, is also within the affected zone, the Herald reported.
The South Carolina Department of Environmental Services (SCDES) informed York County Utilities of the need to issue the advisory Thursday, Oct. 22. A York County spokesperson told the Herald the advisory stemmed from a routine water test, not a pipe break or spill.
What residents should do: Boil tap water vigorously for at least one full minute before using it for:
- Drinking
- Brushing teeth
- Washing fruits and vegetables
- Preparing food and baby formula
- Making ice
- Giving water to pets
Bottled water is also safe.
The advisory will remain in effect until SCDES determines there is no longer a public health concern. York County has prioritized a retest of the water supply and expects an update from SCDES within 48 hours. Once the water is cleared, the county said it will send an alert to residents immediately.
This is the first boil water advisory York County has issued since it launched a new alert system in March. The county has had five water outage or low-pressure events since then, but none previously required a boil advisory, the Herald reported.
Residents in the affected neighborhoods can monitor York County's alert page for updates.
