Pembroke is under a state of emergency after E.coli bacteria was found in the town’s water supply last week. Officials are searching for the source of contamination with the E.coli bacteria.

“The entire town had to be notified. It’s an isolated incident but we have to treat it as a town problem,” said Robert Thornton of the Pembroke Water Department.

Boiled or bottled water should be used for drinking, washing dishes, or food preparation. The Water Department urged residents to boil water before they use it. The warning is especially important for infants, young children, elderly and those with weak immune systems. Public works officials said they plan to inspect the water tanks on Monday to figure out the source of the bacteria.

Water Commissioner James Kilcommons said water comes from five ground wells in the town and is stored in tanks on High Street, Learning Lane, West Elm and Oak Street, according to a local source. He said the water is purified before it is distributed.

The bacterium was found in three out of 28 samples taken so far this month. The bacteria can cause diarrhea, cramps, nausea, headaches and other symptoms. E. coli infection is more often linked to food containing the bacteria. In some cases, it can cause life threatening problems.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, E. coli infects an estimated 73,000 people and kills 61 a year in the U.S.