On August 12, 2025, routine water quality testing detected the presence of E. coli in a small section of the City of Monroe water system near Monroe Fire Department Station 4, 3907 Old Charlotte Highway. The affected section is small, only including nine water customers, but the City of Monroe takes these situations seriously and is issuing a Boil Water Notice for all City of Monroe water customers out of an abundance of caution.
What you should do:
- Boil all tap water for at least one full minute before drinking, cooking, brushing teeth, making ice, or giving to pets.
- Use bottled water as an alternative if available.
- If you experience diarrhea, nausea, cramps, headaches, or other symptoms, seek medical advice.
Please share this notice with anyone who drinks this water and may not have received this message directly (e.g., neighbors, tenants, schools, nursing homes).
What the City is doing:
- Isolated (valved off) the affected section within hours of detection.
- Flushed the area thoroughly to remove potential contaminants.
- Conducted additional testing outside the affected area to confirm no spread.
- Notified the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) and is following all state-mandated testing, cleaning, and reporting procedures.
The City of Monroe Water Resources are following all state-mandated policies on testing, reporting, and cleaning, including notifying the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) of the test results.
Read the DEQ report (PDF)
DEQ report - "En español"
When this will be resolved:
We expect to lift the Notice on Thursday, August 14, 2025, once follow-up testing confirms the water meets all safety standards.
E. coli bacteria indicate that the water may be contaminated with human or animal waste. Microbes in these wastes can cause diarrhea, cramps, nausea, headaches, or other symptoms, and may pose a greater health risk for infants, young children, the elderly, and people with weakened immune systems.