SIDNEY - “The Village of Bushnell water supply has been contaminated with e-coli.”

That’s the statement made by the Kimball County Sheriff’s Office that Bushnell residents were greeted with upon returning home on Friday. Approximately 150 flyers were distributed to Bushnell residents with that statement, informing them of the hazards of drinking Bushnell water.

The KCSO flyer states, “All drinking water must be boiled before drinking. If you are washing dishes by hand, drop a few drops of bleach in the rinse water to destroy e-coli bacteria.”

E-coli, short for escherichia coli, is a bacteria normally found in human intestines, but certain strains of the bacteria can cause serious illness if ingested. Symptoms of e-coli infection include bad stomah cramps and belly pain, vomiting and diarrhea.

According to the KCSO, they were notified Aug. 29 by the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services that Bushnell’s water supply had been contaminated. The water was tested on Aug. 26.

The KCSO was advised by Cody Halligan, a Bushnell council member, that a fire hydrant on the west side of Bushnell used by the city to fill water trucks had been tampered with. Halligan told officers that an employee of the city found the cap off the hydrant three days in a row starting Aug. 25.

According to a KCSO case file, Halligan said that he believes “someone was taking city water from this fire hydrant.” A 3-inch hose was discovered at the scene by a city employee.

Anyone with any information regarding the unauthorized use of the fire hydrant is urged to contact the KCSO at 308-235-3615.

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