Parts of Long Beach should boil tap water before use due to possible contamination, officials say

Some Long Beach neighborhoods should boil tap water before use due to possible contamination, city and state officials say.

Residents of several Long Beach neighborhoods, including California Heights, Bixby Knolls, Los Cerritos and most of North Long Beach, are being urged to boil their tap water before ingesting it after state regulators and the city’s Utilities Department issued a boil water notice.

The affected ZIP codes are 90805, 90806 and 90807.

The notice was issued late Wednesday night, hours after a water main break at the intersection of Orange Avenue and Wardlow Road forced the city department to temporarily halt service to some areas amid repairs.

The resulting loss in water pressure led to the decision to issue the notice out of an "abundance of caution" over potential bacteria in drinking water, Utilities Department spokesperson Joy Contreras said.

Contreras said there are no signs of contamination but the department is conducting specialized testing to confirm the safety of the area’s drinking water. Until the test results are in, the department is encouraging residents and businesses to boil tap water or use bottled water for drinking, food preparation and other uses.

Boiling water for at least one minute can kill bacteria. The water should be cooled before use, the department added.

If you’re unable to boil your water, the department recommends mixing it with unscented liquid bleach and letting it sit for 30 minutes before use.

For clear water, the department recommends using eight drops of bleach per gallon of water, according to the notice. For cloudy water, the department recommends 16 drops and filtering the water through a clean cloth.

The department said it will notify residents and businesses when the testing is completed and the safety of the water has been verified.

For more information you can contact the Utilities Department at (562) 570-2390.