Mercer Island residents told to boil water for E. coli

MERCER ISLAND — Residents of Mercer Island are being told to boil their tap water before drinking because tests have found E. coli in the city’s water.

City officials say there had been no reports of illness as of Saturday afternoon.

The city’s water provider, Seattle Public Utilities, routinely tests more than 800 water samples for bacteria around the region each month, including 18 samples from Mercer Island.

Samples collected on Mercer Island on Friday showed the presence of E. coli.

Mercer Island water should be boiled for at least a minute before using it. Public health officials have closed down the city’s restaurants until the boil water advisory is lifted.

Aside from Mercer Island, all other Seattle Public Utilities water is safe for drinking. The utility provides water to much of King County.