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.
Per the DEQ: E. coli are bacteria whose presence indicates that the water may be contaminated with human or animal wastes. Human pathogens in these wastes can cause short-term effects, such as diarrhea, cramps, nausea, headaches, or other symptoms. They may pose a greater health risk for infants, young children, the elderly, and people with severely compromised immune systems
Please share this information with all the other people who drink this water, especially those who may not have received this notice directly (for example, people in apartments, nursing homes, schools, and businesses). You can do this by posting this notice in a public place or or distributing copies by hand or mail.
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 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.