Boil-water advisory in Amersfoort until at least Wednesday after bacteria found

Residents in Amersfoort and surrounding municipalities, including Bunschoten-Spakenburg, Leusden, and Soest, have been advised to boil their drinking water until at least Wednesday afternoon after water company Vitens confirmed the presence of enterococci bacteria in the supply.

Vitens reported that enterococci were detected last Monday and that additional contamination was found over the past weekend in a storage cellar at one of its water production sites in Amersfoort. The facility pumps groundwater and treats it for public consumption. Following the discovery, the storage cellar was emptied, taken out of service, and is currently being cleaned.

According to Vitens, enterococci are generally harmless for healthy individuals, as the bacteria naturally occur in the human gut. However, they can pose health risks and cause infections in people with weakened immune systems.

“Because we are uncertain if the bacteria are present in other storage cellars, we are awaiting two consecutive clean test results, which will take at least two days,” Vitens said.

The Meander Medical Center in Amersfoort has resumed using tap water, as it is supplied from a different production site.