City of Brainerd to distribute free bottled water Saturday, Aug. 12

Jul 25, 2023

BRAINERD — Brainerd Public Utilities will be providing free bottled water for Brainerd residents in response to the recent advisory to boil water .

Brainerd Public Utlities issued the advisory Thursday night, stating Brainerd’s water was contaminated with total coliform bacteria. City water should be boiled before drinking, brushing teeth or food preparation to avoid getting sick.

Saturday, Aug. 12, BPU will provide free bottled water for Brainerd residents from 8 a.m. to noon, or until supplies last, at the Brainerd City Hall parking lot, 501 Laurel St.

This distribution is for BPU customers only and each vehicle will receive one case and 1 gallon jug of water.

Drivers are asked to access the distribution point by driving on Front Street and using the Mid Minnesota Federal Credit Union entrance and continuing straight through the credit union’s parking lot to drive on the east side of City Hall. Vehicles will exit on Laurel Street.

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The City Hall parking lot will be solely designated for the distribution and the access from Laurel Street will be an exit only.

Baxter is not affected by the boil water advisory.

Brainerd’s water distribution system will be chlorinated for 24 hours and retested. BPU reports it hopes to have the issue resolved by Monday.

While Brainerd Public Utilities pointed to July 27 as a possible date of contamination, the exact date and location wasn’t known because the city has numerous construction projects taking place throughout the city.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises people in a boil water advisory to use bottled water or boiled water for drinking, food preparation or cooking and for pets. Water for cleaning surfaces should be bottled or boiled or disinfected with bleach.

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