Erroneous post declares "boil water" notice over in Hornbrook

Update (09/04/18 3:30 p.m.) – A post made by the Siskiyou County Office of Emergency Services declaring the water in Hornbrook was safe to drink was reportedly made in error. According to Siskiyou County OES, the declaration was made too soon. The post was deleted at about 3:30 p.m.

Water from Hornbrook’s municipal water systems remains unsafe to drink without boiling first, despite what the post said.

The following article has been modified from a previous version to reflect the new information:

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HORNBROOK, Calif. – Nearly two months after the Klamathon Fire devastated the community of Hornbrook, officials hope residents will have access to clean municipal drinking water soon.

The Klamathon Fire started on July 5 and destroyed 82 structures and damaged 12 more in Siskiyou County. Three people were injured and one killed before the fire was finally contained. It covered 38,008 acres.

Damage to Hornbook’s community water supply prompted officials to issue a “boil notice,” urging residents not to drink the water on July 6.

Nearly two months after the fire started, residents still cannot safely consume tap water.

A letter attributed to the Hornbrook Community Service District was posted by the Siskiyou County Office of Emergency Services declaring it’s no longer necessary for residents to boil tap water prior to drinking it. That post was made in error. As of the evening of September 4, it is still not safe to consume water without boiling.