Drinking water nightmare in Bad Herrenalb: boiling requirement after contamination!

Drinking water nightmare in Bad Herrenalb: boiling requirement after contamination!

In Bad Herrenalb, a charming town in the Calw district, drinking water contamination is causing a stir. A leak in an elevated tank caused soil and sand to enter the drinking water during intense heavy rainfall. Loud daily news Around 630 residents are affected. The Bad Herrenalb public utilities are carrying out visual tests, which have so far been positive, but a boiling water requirement remains in force until the situation is clarified.

Affected citizens can be found on several streets in the city center, including Alte Dobler Straße, Birkenwaldstraße and Eichenwaldstraße. The health service has recommended flushing all water pipes in the house once until the water flows clear and leaving the water on the tap running for at least three minutes. The current boiling requirement is expected to apply until Wednesday evening or Thursday morning next week. During this time, everyone who uses the drinking water must boil it before drinking it - especially for drinking, preparing food, washing fruits and vegetables and brushing teeth.

The correct decoction method

How should you go about boiling the water? A simple method has been recommended by the health authorities: the water should be brought to a rolling boil once and then slowly cooled for at least ten minutes. In discussions, many have raised the importance of boiling orders, especially in view of the more frequent heavy rain events due to climate change, which can repeatedly lead to such situations. In similar cases, such as in Middle Franconia, E. coli bacteria have been found in wells, which also points to the need for such precautionary measures as Water habitat reported.

Health authorities point out that such contamination by bacteria such as E. coli and enterococci can pose health risks, especially for people with weakened immune systems. Loud BR The limit value for enterococci in drinking water in Germany is set at zero per 100 milliliters, which underlines how serious the situation is.

What are the next steps?

The Calw district office has made it clear that the boiling water requirement was issued to prevent communicable diseases. If the laboratory result of the second sample is negative, the boiling requirement can be lifted. Until then, special caution is required. Citizens are encouraged to boil their tap water not only before drinking, but also when preparing food, washing fruits and vegetables, and brushing teeth. In the event of a power outage, there are alternative options to heat the water on a gas stove or other open flame.

The situation highlights not only the vulnerability of our water supply system, but also the importance of first-hand information from health authorities. Good preparation and compliance with recommendations can help protect the health of citizens until water quality returns to standards. Further information and detailed FAQs are available on the Calw District Office website.