TL;DR: The Kansas Department of Health and Environment issued a boil water advisory on Thursday, Aug. 27 for the Dwight Water District in Geary County after a waterline incident on K-57 highway near the water tower, covering areas north of the Geary County/Morris County line and west of Humboldt Creek Road until KDHE rescinds it.

Advisory issued Thursday for Dwight Water District

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment issued a boil water advisory on Thursday, Aug. 27, 2026, for the Dwight Water District in Geary County, Kansas.

According to WIBW, the notice was published on Aug. 27, 2026 at 4:44 PM CDT and reported by Isaac Deer.

According to Kansas Public Radio, the advisory was also summarized in its Headlines for Thursday, August 27, 2026, published at 10:04 AM CDT.

Geary County Emergency Management said the cause was a waterline incident on K-57 highway near the water tower.

Kansas Public Radio, citing Geary County Emergency Management and KDHE, described the same cause as a waterline incident on Kansas Highway K-57 near the water tower.

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment is the agency that issued the boil water advisory for the affected customers.

Geary County Emergency Management distributed an alert message about the advisory to local customers.

Where the advisory applies

The advisory applies to the Dwight Water District in Geary County.

KDHE defined the affected area as north of the Geary County/Morris County line.

KDHE defined the affected area as west of Humboldt Creek Road.

Kansas Public Radio described the boundary as north of the Geary/Morris County line and west of Humboldt Creek Road.

The location of the waterline incident was on K-57 highway near the water tower.

Geary County Emergency Management identified K-57 highway near the water tower as the site of the waterline incident.

How long the advisory lasts

The advisory took effect on Thursday, Aug. 27.

WIBW reported that the advisory remains in effect until rescinded by KDHE.

Kansas Public Radio directed customers to check the KDHE website for more updates on the status.

Kansas Public Radio directed customers to check the Geary County Emergency Management Facebook page for more updates.

Customers should observe the listed precautions until further notice.

Customers in the described area north of the Geary County/Morris County line remain covered until KDHE rescinds the notice.

Customers in the described area west of Humboldt Creek Road remain covered until KDHE rescinds the notice.

What to do for drinking and cooking

Customers should boil water for one minute before drinking or food preparation, or use bottled water, according to WIBW.

That means heating tap water to a full boil for sixty seconds before drinking it.

That means heating tap water to a full boil for sixty seconds before using it to prepare food.

The alternative described by emergency officials is to use bottled water for drinking.

The alternative described by emergency officials is to use bottled water for food preparation.

The drinking and cooking precaution applies to all customers served by the Dwight Water District in the defined area.

The drinking and cooking precaution applies until further notice from KDHE.

What to do about ice

Customers should dispose of ice cubes, according to WIBW.

Customers should not use ice from a household automatic icemaker, according to WIBW.

That means emptying existing trays and bins of cubes made before or during the advisory period.

That means turning off or avoiding use of a household automatic icemaker while the advisory remains active.

That means using bottled water to make new ice if ice is needed.

The ice precaution applies to customers in the Dwight Water District coverage zone.

The ice precaution applies until further notice from KDHE.

What to do if tap water looks dirty

If tap water appears dirty, customers should flush the water lines by letting the water run until it clears, according to WIBW.

That means opening the tap and allowing discolored flow to continue.

That means waiting until the flow becomes clear before using it for the other listed precautions.

That means not using cloudy or discolored water for drinking without first flushing and then boiling or replacing it with bottled water.

The flushing instruction applies to taps in the area north of the Geary County/Morris County line.

The flushing instruction applies to taps in the area west of Humboldt Creek Road.

How to disinfect dishes and food-contact surfaces

Dishes and other food contact surfaces should be disinfected by immersion for at least one minute in clean tap water that contains one teaspoon of unscented household bleach per gallon of water, according to WIBW.

That means using clean tap water as the base for the disinfecting solution.

That means adding one teaspoon of unscented household bleach for each gallon of water.

That means immersing dishes for at least sixty seconds in that mixture.

That means including other food contact surfaces in the same sixty-second immersion.

The dish-disinfection precaution applies to customers in the Dwight Water District while the advisory is active.

The dish-disinfection precaution applies until further notice from KDHE.

How to handle bathing

Water used for bathing does not generally need to be boiled, according to WIBW.

Supervision of children is necessary while bathing so that water is not ingested, according to WIBW.

That means adults should watch children closely during baths in the affected area.

That means preventing children from swallowing bath water while the advisory remains in effect.

Persons with cuts or severe rashes may wish to consult their physicians, according to WIBW.

That guidance applies to people with cuts who live north of the Geary County/Morris County line.

That guidance applies to people with severe rashes who live west of Humboldt Creek Road.

Who to contact for questions

For consumer questions, customers can contact KDHE at 785-296-5514, according to WIBW.

For consumer information, customers can visit KDHE's PWS Consumer Information webpage, according to WIBW.

Geary County Emergency Management is the local source that sent the alert message about the K-57 waterline incident.

The Geary County Emergency Management Facebook page is a local source for more updates, according to Kansas Public Radio.

The KDHE website is the state source for more updates, according to Kansas Public Radio.

WIBW identified its newsroom location as 631 SW Commerce Place in Topeka, Kansas 66615.

WIBW listed its contact number as (785) 272-6397.

How this advisory was reported

WIBW reporter Isaac Deer reported the advisory for Geary County on Aug. 27, 2026 at 4:44 PM CDT.

WIBW reported that Geary County Emergency Management linked the advisory to the waterline incident on K-57 highway near the water tower.

Kansas Public Radio included the Dwight Water District advisory in its statewide Headlines for Thursday, August 27, 2026.

Kansas Public Radio attributed its item to KPR/KDHE and restated the same K-57 water-tower location.

Kansas Public Radio also identified the same boundaries north of the Geary/Morris County line and west of Humboldt Creek Road.

Both WIBW and Kansas Public Radio pointed customers to KDHE for the official advisory status and for rescission information.

What readiness means during this advisory

Readiness during this advisory means keeping bottled water available for drinking.

Readiness during this advisory means keeping bottled water available for food preparation.

Readiness during this advisory means having a plan to boil tap water for one minute before drinking or cooking.

Readiness during this advisory means discarding ice cubes and avoiding ice from a household automatic icemaker.

Readiness during this advisory means knowing to flush water lines by running the tap until dirty water clears.

Readiness during this advisory means knowing the bleach-solution method for dishes and other food contact surfaces.

Readiness during this advisory means supervising children while bathing so water is not ingested.

Readiness during this advisory means people with cuts or severe rashes know to consider consulting their physicians.

Readiness during this advisory means saving the KDHE consumer-question number 785-296-5514.

Readiness during this advisory means knowing where to find KDHE's PWS Consumer Information webpage.

Readiness during this advisory means monitoring the KDHE website for updates.

Readiness during this advisory means monitoring the Geary County Emergency Management Facebook page for updates.

Readiness during this advisory means understanding that the area north of the Geary County/Morris County line is included.

Readiness during this advisory means understanding that the area west of Humboldt Creek Road is included.

Readiness during this advisory means understanding that the advisory stays active until KDHE rescinds it.

Sources referenced