The Oak Bluffs water district has told all its customers to boil their water before using it, after coliform bacteria was found in several water samples during routine testing earlier this week.

Bacteria was found in several samples during monthly water testing on
Thursday. The water district immediately notified the state Department of Environmental Protection, which issued the boil water order at 5:30 p.m. on Friday.

A majority of the town’s approximately 3,500 year-round residents are on the town water system.

Oak Bluffs water district superintendent Thomas Degnan said coliform
bacteria occur naturally in the environment and are used as indicators that
other, more harmful bacteria may be present.

Coliform bacteria can be dangerous to people with compromised immune
systems, infants, and the elderly.

Mr. Degnan has busy fielding calls for more information. “I would say I have fielded between 500 to 600 phone calls since the notice went out,”
he said. “There are a lot of people who want to know what is going on.”

Oak Bluffs water users are advised to boil all water used for drinking, cooking, making ice, washing dishes or brushing teeth. The water is safe for showering, the notice said.

Mr. Degnan said chlorine has been added to the water system and fire
hydrants around town have been opened to flush out the system.

The order is in effect until further notice.

The source of the contamination has not yet been determined.

The Martha’s Vineyard Hospital, which is in Oak Bluffs, has reportedly made arrangements for patients awaiting dialysis to receive treatment off-Island, and hospital staff are using bottled or sterilized water to wash their hands.

Town restaurants are affected.

“It’s been sort of a pain since we can’t use water or ice,” said Tara Edge, an employee at Linda Jean’s Restaurant on Circuit avenue. “But we’ve been serving a lot more juice and soda as a result.