The City of Crane has issued a drinking water notice after the public water system failed to complete a required Level 1 assessment within 30 days following multiple total coliform-positive samples collected in July and August.

The notice, mailed to customers and shared publicly, states that routine water tests detected total coliform bacteria during those months. Total coliforms are naturally occurring bacteria that act as indicators of potential issues within a water system. Their presence does not necessarily mean harmful pathogens are present, but it does require further investigation.

Under the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Revised Total Coliform Rule, a water system must complete a Level 1 assessment within 30 days whenever certain types of coliform-positive results appear. According to the city, that assessment was not completed within the required timeframe, placing the system in violation of federal drinking water rules.

The letter from the city emphasizes that this is not an emergency notice and does not require residents to boil their water. No evidence of fecal contamination has been found, and recent water samples have tested negative, meeting all Department of Natural Resources (DNR) requirements.

'While we have not detected any evidence of fecal contamination of our distribution system water, we are committed to correcting the deficiency to eliminate the potential threat of contamination', the notice reads.

The city reports that a new water operator replaced the existing sampling equipment after the July and August results, and all subsequent tests have come back clean.

Residents with severely compromised immune systems, infants, or those with specific health concerns may consult their healthcare provider if they have questions, though routine actions like boiling water are not recommended for the general population.

For more information, residents can reach out to public works at 417-723-5990 or the Missouri Department of Natural Resources’ Public Drinking Water Branch at 573-526-6925.