Warning Issued After Bacteria Found in Water

Residents have been told to boil water for at least five minutes before drinking it or cooking with it. City officials issued the warning after city water tested positive for E. coli and coliform bacteria.

Four of eight samples taken earlier this week from wells that supply water to about 16,000 households and businesses tested positive for coliform bacteria. Two tested positive for E. coli.

Mark Lightcap, Chico district manager for the California Water Service Co., said city officials believe the samples were false positives, but issued the warning because they wanted to “err on the side of caution.”