Attorney General's News Release

April 6, 1999

Nixon obtains consent order requiring Plattsburg to take steps to ensure safety of public drinking water supply

Jefferson City, MO — Attorney General Jay Nixon today obtained a court order requiring the city of Plattsburg to take immediate steps to ensure the safety of its public drinking water system and the subsidiary systems that serve Edgerton and three rural public water districts.

The consent decree approved by the Clinton County Circuit Court requires the city to flush the system to remove accumulated sediment and to maintain a constant level of chlorine in the system to clean up contaminants that might be present. Plattsburg officials also must immediately begin submitting additional water samples for testing for contaminants, over and above those samples that are now required.

Last month, the Department of Natural Resources issued eight notices of violation to the city for excessive turbidity, or cloudiness, in the drinking water. Turbidity can protect disease-carrying organisms from the antiseptic effects of chlorine and could be a health threat.

"Plattsburg officials must take these emergency steps to immediately ensure a safe water supply for the public," Nixon said. "This consent decree, however, does not mean the end of our looking at this matter. We will continue to work with the Department of Natural Resources to investigate all aspects of this situation."

In addition to flushing and chlorinating the drinking water system in Plattsburg, city officials must take the same action in Edgerton and in Clinton County Public Water Supply Districts No. 1, No. 2 and No. 4. The Plattsburg system serves approximately 2,200 residents; the other systems serve approximately 5,000 other Clinton County residents.

Inquiries from consumers should be directed to consumer@ago.mo.gov or 1-800-392-8222 (from within Missouri) or 573-751-3321 (outside Missouri).

All media inquiries should be directed to Press Secretary John Fougere.

E-mail      Phone: 573-751-8844         Fax: 573-751-5818