Burnham system: Temporary outage for treatment, boil advisory extended
RE: Burnham Water System, State ID 81357L, Pierce County
Notice of Interruption of Water Service and Precautionary Boil Water Advisory
Today, Thursday, July 9, our staff will be performing a chlorinated backwash on the well that serves our Burnham system customers’ homes. This activity is being performed as a precaution following the total coliform and E. coli detection at the well that we were notified of Wednesday night, July 8, 2026. This work will require that we depressurize the water system, resulting in a temporary outage to the eight homes served by the Burnham water system.
Our staff is on site now, and work is expected to be completed by 4:30 p.m. today. Once the work is completed, the area will be flushed, and follow-up bacteriological samples will be collected and tested to confirm there are no more detections of bacteria.
After water service has been restored to your home, but before using water inside, please run your outside hose bibb until the water is clear. This is to prevent any discolored water from entering your faucets and fixtures and to evacuate air from your service line.
Please also continue to boil your water for drinking or cooking until further notice. Bring all tap water to a rolling boil for one minute. Let it cool before using. You should use boiled water (or bottled water) for drinking, preparing food, making ice, brushing teeth and washing dishes by hand. Your water is safe for showering, bathing, and for other household uses, including washing dishes in the dishwasher as long as the heat/sanitizing cycle and commercial dishwashing detergent are used.
We expect to receive results from the lab by Saturday, July 11. We will notify you directly when you no longer need to boil your water.
If you choose to purchase bottled water during this advisory, you may submit your receipt for reimbursement and a credit will be applied to your account. Please mail your receipt to our office at PO Box 336, Gig Harbor, WA 98335. Be sure to include your account number and address on the receipt.
We apologize for the inconvenience. Protecting your health and safety is our highest priority. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to call our Customer Service Center. We can be reached toll free at (877) 408-4060 or by email at [email protected].
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Originally posted June 8, 9:00 p.m.
Washington Water is advising all customers served by our Burnham water system in Pierce County to use boiled tap water or bottled water for drinking or cooking until further notice.
Sunday night, July 5, 2026, we advised you to use boiled tap water or bottled water for drinking or cooking due to an equipment malfunction at the well that was repaired that same night. Our staff collected follow-up bacteriological samples in distribution and from the well to confirm the presence or absence of coliform bacteria (including those of fecal origin, like E. coli) in the water system. Both samples were confirmed absent of coliform bacteria, and the precautionary boil water advisory was lifted on Tuesday, July 7, 2026.
An additional bacteriological sample was collected from the well on Tuesday, July 7, 2026, and we were notified Wednesday night, July 8, 2026, that total coliform and E. coli bacteria were detected. We have notified the Washington State Department of Health about this incident, and we are advising you to take this measure out of an abundance of caution because protecting your health and safety is our highest priority.
DO NOT DRINK THE WATER WITHOUT BOILING IT FIRST. Bring all tap water to a rolling boil for one minute. Let it cool before using. You should use boiled water (or bottled water) for drinking, preparing food, making ice, brushing teeth, and washing dishes by hand. Tap water is safe for showering, bathing, and for other household uses, including washing dishes in the dishwasher as long as the heat/sanitizing cycle and commercial dishwashing detergent are used.
The presence of E. coli bacteria indicates that the water may be affected by human or animal waste. Microbes in these wastes can cause short-term effects, such as diarrhea, cramps, nausea, headaches, or other symptoms. They may pose a special health risk for infants, young children, some of the elderly, and people with severely compromised immune systems. However, the symptoms above are not caused only by organisms in drinking water. If you experience any of these symptoms and they persist, you may want to seek medical advice. People at increased risk should seek advice from their health care provider about drinking the water.
If you choose to purchase bottled water during this advisory, you may submit your receipt for reimbursement and a credit will be applied to your account. Please mail your receipt to our office at P.O. Box 336, Gig Harbor, WA 98335. Be sure to include your account number and address on the receipt.
We apologize for the inconvenience. Again, protecting your health and safety is our highest priority. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to call our Customer Service Center. We can be reached toll-free at (877) 408-4060 or by email at [email protected].
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Published July 7, 2026
To our customers affected by the precautionary boil water advisory this week, served by our Burnham water system in Pierce County:
On Sunday, July 5, you were advised to use boiled or bottled water for drinking and cooking due to an equipment malfunction at the well that serves your home. We were notified by the laboratory today that the follow-up bacteriological samples collected once, repairs were complete were absent of any coliform bacteria (including those of fecal origin, like E. coli).
Water quality test results confirm that you no longer need to boil your water.
If you purchased bottled water for use during the advisory, you may submit your receipt for reimbursement and a credit will be applied to your account. Please mail your receipt to P.O. Box 336, Gig Harbor, WA 98335. Be sure to include your account number and address on the receipt.
We apologize for the inconvenience. Protecting your health and safety is our highest priority. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact our Customer Service Center. We can be reached toll-free at (877) 408-4060 or by email at [email protected].
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Published July 5, 2026
Washington Water is advising all customers served by our Burnham Water System in Pierce County to use boiled tap water or bottled water for drinking or cooking until further notice. We are advising you to take this precautionary measure due to an equipment malfunction at the well that serves your water system. This has the potential to affect water quality. Boiling kills bacteria and other organisms that may have been introduced into the water.
After water service has been restored to your home, but before using water inside, please run your outside faucet until the water is clear. This is to prevent any discolored water from entering your faucets and fixtures and to evacuate air from your service line.
Bring all tap water to a rolling boil for one minute. Let it cool before using. You should use boiled water (or bottled water) for drinking, preparing food, making ice, brushing teeth and washing dishes by hand. Tap water is safe for showering, bathing, and for other household uses, including washing dishes in the dishwasher as long as the heat/sanitizing cycle and commercial dishwashing detergent are used.
Our crew is on site completing repairs. Chlorine will be used to sanitize all new plumbing parts and materials. Once repairs are complete and water service has been restored, the area will be flushed and follow-up bacteriological samples will be collected and tested to confirm that water quality was not affected. We expect to receive sample results from the lab by Tuesday, July 7, 2026. We will notify you when you no longer need to boil your water.
If you choose to purchase bottled water during this advisory, you may submit your receipt for reimbursement and a credit will be applied to your account. Please mail your receipt to our office at PO Box 336, Gig Harbor, WA 98335. Be sure to include your account number and address on the receipt.
We apologize for the inconvenience. Protecting your health and safety is our highest priority. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to call our Customer Service Center. We can be reached toll free at (877) 408-4060 or by email at [email protected].