MOMEYER — It's the foundation of life, but you can't use some of it in one Nash County town.

Folks in the Bass Mobile Home Park got a notice from state water inspectors two weeks ago, urging them not to use the water coming out of the park's well. Don't drink it, don't cook with it, and don't bathe in it for more than five minutes.

The cause is too much ethylene dibromide (EDB), a chemical used years ago as a tobacco pesticide and as a compound in unleaded gasoline. EDB is a carcinogen, increasing cancer risks after long-term exposure.

So, the folks in the 40 homes affected by the advisory are stocking up on bottled water. Resident Wanda Griffin has joined her neighbors, buying bottled water until the well problems are fixed.

Resident Danny Janes says that the water problem complicates everyday life.

Local health officials say that they'll be glad when the water woes are over. Nash County Health Director Bill Hill says that his agency is very eager to assist in the state's clean-up efforts.

The owner of the park has installed a plastic sleeve into the well, hopefully keeping the chemical out of the water. The state confirms that the owner has complied, and citations are unlikely.