Two communities in Panola County were under boil water alerts issued by the Mississippi State Department of Health this week.

Consumers in Crenshaw and Courtland are advised to boil their water for one minute before consuming it.

The Mississippi State Department of Health on June 22 issued a Boil-Water Alert for customers who receive their drinking water from the Town of Crenshaw water supply. This affects approximately 885 customers in the area.

Sampling showed the presence of total coliform bacteria in the source samples, according to an announcement on the MSDH Web site.

Health officials strongly recommend that all water be boiled vigorously for one minute before it is consumed.

The United States Environmental Protection Agency sets drinking water standards and has determined that the presence of total coliform is a public health concern. Coliforms are bacteria that are naturally present in the environment and are used as an indicator that other potentially harmful bacteria may be present. Coliforms were found in more samples than allowed and this was a warning of potential problems with the treatment process or pipes which distribute the water.

Customers of the Pope-Courtland Water Association – North (the Courtland part of the system) were being advised this week to boil drinking water after the water system notified the MSDH of a system-wide pressure loss due to installing a fire hydrant June 23.

When a distribution system loses pressure, contaminants can siphon back into the water. Public health officials consider any system that loses pressure contaminated until tests prove otherwise. This affects customers on the Courtland part of the system. Customers on the Pope part of the system are not affected.

The MSDH will notify the systems when the alert is lifted. At press time Thursday, both systems remained listed on the agency’s Web site as being under boil water alerts.