Coles County Health Department Issues Water Warning

(Mattoon, IL) — Mattoon residents are being warned not to drink the city’s water. An “unsafe water alert” has been issued for the entire City of Mattoon due to a “harmful algal bloom neurological toxin.” The Coles County Health Department said in their alert that the City of Mattoon water is possibly contaminated with Microcystin, a harmful algal bloom. They say drinking city water could result in illness. They say that boiling, freezing, filtering, adding chlorine or other disinfectants, or letting water stand will not make the water safe. Bottled water should be used for all drinking, brushing teeth, washing dishes, making ice, and food preparation until further notice.