INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR DRINKING WATER PRESS RELEASE
Date/Time
Date(s) - 03/19/2026 - 03/31/2026
12:00 am
Categories
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CARBONDALE –
To our residents-
Our water system recently violated a drinking water standard. Although this was not an emergency, as our
customers, you have a right to know what happened, what you should do, and what we are doing to correct this
situation. Surface water systems (or groundwater under the direct influence of surface water systems) must
ensure proper disinfection. Water in the treatment plant must be in contact with enough chlorine or a similar
disinfectant for a minimum amount of time. Our supply was unable to meet this requirement during the Week 1
of December 2025 monitoring period.
What should I do?
You do not need to boil your water or take other actions. We do not know of any contamination, and none
of our testing has shown disease-causing organisms in the drinking water.
What does this mean?
This situation does not require that you take immediate action. If it had been, you would have been notified
immediately. Tests taken during this same time period did not indicate the presence of bacteria in the water.
Inadequately treated water may contain disease-causing organisms. These organisms include bacteria, viruses,
and parasites, which can cause symptoms such as nausea, cramps, diarrhea, and associated headaches.
These symptoms, however, are not caused only by organisms in drinking water, but also by other factors. If you
experience any of these symptoms and they persist, you may want to seek medical advice.
What happened? What is being done?
The City of Carbondale tests routinely for virus inactivation in the treatment process. A chlorine value was
mistakenly reported that was not representative of actual disinfection levels. By the time the City became aware
of the violation, it was too late to correct the value to a more accurate level. The actual chlorine level was within
compliance; the reported chlorine level was not.
Customers do not need to take any action. The water is safe for normal use and has been at all times. This is a
required public notification.
Disinfectant residual level/contact times so far this month have met all the requirements. For more information,
please contact Clayton Greer, Water Treatment Plant Superintendent at (618) 529-1731 option 2.