City of Bloomington Utilities Lifts Precautionary Boil Water Advisory for Monroe County

~ Bloomington, IN - The City of Bloomington Utilities (CBU) has lifted the precautionary Boil Water Advisory that was issued for Monroe County on Sunday, September 20. This advisory was put in place due to storm-related power outages and an increase in turbidity at the Monroe Water Treatment Plant. However, after sampling results from throughout the distribution system tested clear, it has been confirmed that the water is now safe to consume without boiling.

The advisory was issued shortly before midnight on Sunday and affected customers in Monroe County. While tank levels have improved overnight, some areas may still experience lower than normal water pressure as the distribution system continues to recover.

CBU customers who did not receive earlier notification are urged to update their contact information. Direct service notifications are typically sent via phone and email using the information on CBU customer accounts.

The issues began on Friday, September 18 at around 6 p.m. when severe weather caused power outages that disrupted operations at the Monroe Water Treatment Plant. Despite having backup generators that can operate at 50% capacity, additional electrical issues at the intake tower prevented treatment entirely. After power was restored, plant staff discovered failures and operational issues with essential equipment and systems such as raw water pumps, alum pumps, and the plant's supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) and communications systems.

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These issues affected the plant's ability to maintain normal treatment operations, resulting in an increase in turbidity levels leaving the filters. Combined with low water levels in the Monroe distribution tank, turbidity exceeded the maximum contaminant level of 1.0 NTU.

According to Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) regulations, public water systems must issue a precautionary Boil Water Advisory when turbidity levels reach 1 Unit or above. CBU detected a turbidity level of 1.06 NTU at the water treatment plant on Saturday, September 19, which was above the regulatory limit.

CBU staff immediately increased water-quality monitoring and adjusted plant operations to restore normal production and treatment conditions. Within an hour of the 1.06 NTU reading, turbidity levels at the plant returned below the regulatory limit. However, the advisory could not be lifted immediately as water moves through storage tanks and distribution mains before reaching customers. CBU completed required sampling throughout the system before lifting the advisory.

CBU Utilities Director Katherine Zaiger emphasized the importance of resilience in planning for the water system. This includes investing in modernization and replacement of aging equipment, controls, and backup systems that allow the plant to continue operating or recover more quickly during disruptions. The upcoming capital projects at the Monroe Water Treatment Plant, funded through recent rate adjustments, are designed with this purpose in mind.

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Several previously approved water-system investments are currently underway or in development. In September, CBU received a $2.375 million U.S. Environmental Protection Agency resilience grant for work at the Monroe Water Treatment Plant, including backup generation and control-system improvements. This grant aims to improve the plant's ability to operate through power interruptions and other system disruptions.

Other capital projects supported by a 2026 drinking-water rate increase include treatment plant improvements, replacement of aging water mains, pumping and storage upgrades, treatment-process improvements, and modernization of controls and monitoring equipment. The updated water rates were approved by both the Utilities Service Board and Bloomington Common Council in September 2025 and took effect in August 2026.

Customers with any questions or concerns are encouraged to contact City of Bloomington Utilities at 812-349-3930 or via email at [email address].

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