KANNAPOLIS, N.C. — The City of Kannapolis has lifted the boil water advisory that was put in place on Friday.
The advisory was put in place on Friday morning after contaminants carrying E. Coli bacteria were found in the city’s drinking water.
Channel 9 was reporting in Kannapolis as schools dismissed early, restaurants closed, and bottled water flew off the shelves.
[ READ: Boil water advisory continues in Kannapolis as some Concord‑supplied areas cleared ]
City staff gave out free water bottles on Saturday morning to those still affected by the advisory.
Officials with the city said that the water has now passed state and local quality tests and is safe for all uses, effective immediately, and water for human consumption no longer needs to be boiled.
Before using water in homes, Kannapolis city officials have asked residents to do the following:
- Flush Cold Water Faucets: Open all cold water taps throughout your home and let them run for at least 15 minutes to clear the service lines.
- Clear Hot Water Lines: Run all hot water faucets for at least 15 minutes to ensure the water in your water heater is replaced with fresh, treated water.
- Refresh Ice and Water Systems: Discard any ice produced during the advisory and cycle your ice maker or water dispenser at least three times before using.
- Maintain Appliances: Run your dishwasher on a full, empty cycle using the hot water setting to flush any potentially stagnant water from the system.
- Service Water Treatment: Replace all water filter cartridges—including those in refrigerators, pitchers, and under-sink systems—as they may have trapped contaminants during the advisory.
- Shower and Laundry: Flush your showerheads by running them for several minutes, and run your washing machine through a cycle on the hot setting before washing clothes.
The city has similar recommendations for commercial businesses:
- Extended System Flush: Systematically flush all cold-water faucets, drinking fountains, and service lines for at least 30 minutes, starting at the point closest to the service entrance and working toward the most distant fixtures.
- Commercial Ice Machines: Discard all ice produced during the advisory period and sanitize the ice bin and internal components according to the manufacturer’s instructions before resuming operations.
- Beverage and Food Service Lines: Flush all soda fountains, coffee brewers, and water-fed beverage dispensers, and replace any attached water filtration cartridges to prevent the serving of contaminated water.
- Filtration Replacements: Replace all point-of-entry and point-of-use filter cartridges immediately, as these devices can harbor trapped contaminants even after the main supply is clear.
- Process Equipment: Consult your equipment manuals to follow specific flushing or disinfection protocols for cooling towers, medical devices, or laboratory water systems that may require specialized cleaning.
City officials asked that restaurants visit the Cabarrus Health Alliance and Rowan County Health Department site for guidance.