‘Boil water’ mandate for Lukins customers

Updated: Nov. 15 10:25am

By Kathryn Reed

All Lukins Brothers Water Company customers are on a “boil water” order because coliform was discovered at one of the test sites.

Coliform is found naturally in the environment.

According to the EPA, “Total coliforms are a group of closely related, mostly harmless bacteria that live in soil and water as well as the gut of animals.”

Each month Lukins runs tests on its wells and other sites within the system. Samples taken Tuesday and Wednesday both showed coliform at one of the sites. The results of the second test came back Nov. 14.

All of the 963 customers are receiving hand-delivered notices today.

“We are chlorinating the entire system right now,” Jennifer Lukins told Lake Tahoe News on Thursday afternoon. The process started within an hour of being notified of the results.

The chlorination program will run two to three weeks. If people smell chlorine, Lukins advises people to run their cold water to flush their individual water lines.

According to Danny Lukins, this is the first time the South Shore water system has had a positive coliform sample. This is why the company believes this is an isolated case.

Per California Department of Public Health regulations, the “boil water” order is in effect until Lukins has two tests that are negative. The water will be tested again Nov. 18 and Nov. 19. This means the soonest the “boil water” order would be lifted is Nov. 20.

More information will be available on Lukins website. Here is a link to Lukins’ service area.