A Boiled Water Alert remains in place for residents of Geurie after concerning levels of turbidity were discovered in local water reserves following recent downpours and storms in the region.
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Dubbo Regional Council, in consultation with NSW Health, issued the alert late on Thursday afternoon and immediately activated its public health response plan for residents.
An update provided midway through Friday reaffirmed the need for residents in the Geurie locality to continue boiling any water that may be consumed or used in food preparation.
Information leaflets have been delivered to households throughout the area and posters have been placed throughout the town.
Special bottled water supplies will also be delivered to Geurie Public School.
Water used in a number of activities must be boiled before use, including drinking, brushing teeth, washing and preparing food or other items for consumption, preparing baby formula and for freezing into ice cubes.
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While unboiled water is safe to use for showering and bathing, attempts should be made to limit the amount of water entering the mouth during this time.
As a precautionary measure, babies and toddlers should be sponge bathed until the alert is lifted.
Washing dishes by hand or in a dishwasher is safe when using water that hasn't been boiled, so long as the items are completely air-dried before being used, the same standard applies to washing clothes.
Water should be boiled for at least one minute or bottled water should be purchased for drinking.
Council has also urged residents to limit the amount of water used in total during the ongoing period, or until the quality of water flows from the treatment plant is assessed as safe according to NSW Health standards.
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The town's water filling station has been temporarily closed in response to the alert and token holders can instead use the station at Wellington.
Anyone who has consumed the water before hearing of the alert is at a low risk of becoming sick.
Anyone already exhibiting symptoms including signs of a fever, diarrhoea or vomiting should seek medical attention.
Regular updates will be provided through the Dubbo Regional Council website and through the council's social media pages, such as Facebook.
