Water used for drinking or food preparation should be brought to a rolling boil to make it safe.

Kettles with automatic shut-off switches can do this. Water should then be allowed to cool, stored in a clean container with a lid, and refrigerated.

Bottled water or cool water should be used for drinking, washing uncooked food (e.g. salad vegetables and fruit), making ice, cleaning teeth, gargling, and pets' drinking water.

Dishes should be washed in hot soapy water or in a dishwasher. Children should take bottled water or cool boiled water to school.

Uralla Shire Council is working to fix the problem. This advice should be followed until further notice.

Council have also informed residents they are undertaking a full repair of a leak at the Western Reservoir at Bundarra.

The work will unfortunately require isolation and draining of the reservoir.

Due to the current dry conditions, the operational preference is that this work is not done until water supplies are replenished to limit water loss and disruptions to supply.

As an interim measure, quotations from several contractors have been requested for a temporary crack injection seal, to assist in reducing any water loss until such a time that it would be more appropriate to isolate the reservoir and apply a long term repair solution.

For further information, call 02 6778 6300.