As of late this afternoon, California American Water Company has lifted the boil water advisory for affected areas in South San Diego County.
- On Thursday, August 24, 2023, California American Water issued the boil water advisory as a safety precaution under the guidance of the State Water Resources Control Board Division of Drinking Water, and the County of San Diego Environmental Health and Quality Department.
- California American Water issued the Advisory to Boil Water due to a positive E. Coli result found in one (1) of its 28 drinking water samples.
- Per the Division of Drinking Water, California American Water conducted additional comprehensive testing and the test results confirmed there was no bacteria in the drinking water.
- California American Water routinely tests the water supply. Utility workers take 28 samples weekly for biological contamination which are sent to a lab for evaluation and testing. In addition, employees also monitor chlorine levels and run hundreds of tests annually for chemical contamination.
After extensive water testing, California American Water and the State Water Resources Control Board’s Division of Drinking Water (DDW) determined Saturday afternoon that the water is now safe to drink. California American Water says affected customers no longer have to boil their water or drink bottled water.
More than 17,000 California American Water customer accounts, as many as 106,000 people, were affected by the boil water advisory. The cause of the contamination is still under investigation.
The County Department of Environmental Health and Quality (DEHQ) is working with restaurants to provide updated guidance and resources on how to resume operations now that the boil water advisory is no longer in effect. Restaurants can also contact DEHQ at (858) 505-6900 or [email protected]. No food facility inspection or approval will be needed as part of the restaurant reopening process.
San Diego County is requesting that any businesses affected by Cal-Am’s boil water advisory to complete a voluntary Boil Water Advisory Economic Impact Survey. The information collected will be used to determine if the County should attempt to seek state and/or federal assistance. The form is informational only, completing the survey form does not guarantee that you will be eligible or will receive assistance, and it is also not a substitution for submitting a claim with California American Water Company (Cal-Am) or your insurance company. The deadline for completing the survey is Sept. 15.
County Public Health continues to monitor for health-related issues and asks anyone experiencing gastrointestinal issues or any other symptoms to contact their healthcare provider.
For additional information regarding affected schools and guidelines for residential customers, please contact the responsible agency, California American Water, at 1-888-237-1333 or visit the California American alert page.
Editor’s Note (8/28/23): This article has been updated to clarify that California American Water issued the Advisory to Boil Water due to a positive E. Coli result found in one (1) of its 28 drinking water samples.
