A Suez Water employee flushes and tests water from a hydrant in front of the fire station in South Kingstown last week.
[The Providence Journal / Kris Craig] PROVIDENCE, R.I. — After more than a week, some residents in Narragansett and South Kingstown no longer have to boil their tap water before drinking it.
The state health department announced Saturday that it was lifting an advisory to boil water for four water systems — Suez Water, Narragansett-Point Judith, South Kingstown-South Shore and South-Kingstown-Middlebridge — after finding no contamination of E. coli or coliform bacteria for three consecutive days.
Before using their water again, customers should clean and sanitize refrigerators with water dispensers or ice makers, replace water-treatment filter cartridges, and run faucets for 10 minutes if they weren’t used during the advisory.
A boil-water advisory remains in place for customers of the Narragansett-North End water system.
The health department said that water samples from that system collected on Wednesday and Saturday contained coliform bacteria.
Residents affected by the advisory may fill bottles of water at West Kingston Park, at 3840 Kingstown Rd., West Kingston, from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Elderly residents and people with disabilities should contact (401) 789-1091 for assistance.
Consumption of contaminated water could result in illness, including the following symptoms: Fever; blood in the stool; prolonged vomiting that prevents keeping liquids down, which can lead to dehydration; diarrhea; and signs of dehydration, including a decrease in urination, a dry mouth and throat, and feeling dizzy when standing up.
The health department is investigating reports of gastrointestinal illness, which would be associated with E. coli infection.