Despite being traditionally served by well No. 10 on the city's West Side, the Allied Drive neighborhood isn't included in the manganese health alert that will go into effect Monday, as the area's pipes are flushed to scour away the problem mineral.

Nurses and social workers serving the area said they have heard from some in the neighborhood who are unclear about the health alert and concerned about the safety of their water.

"I am kind of worried," said Alice Howard, president of the Allied Drive Neighborhood Association. "If the advisory is all around Allied, why isn't it affecting us?"

But both officials with the Madison Water Utility and the Madison-Dane County Health Department said Allied Drive residents don't have to worry about the health advisory because the area will no longer be served by well No. 10, which is one of three wells in the city plagued by high manganese levels.

The advisory, which begins Monday, applies to neighborhoods served by well No. 10. It recommends against infants from birth to 6 months and people with liver disease drinking tap water during the eight weeks the area's pipes are being flushed to rid them of manganese.

High levels of the mineral can cause neurological problems and infants, as well as people who have liver disease and cannot adequately process manganese, are most susceptible.

Utility officials said Tuesday that since well No. 10 was turned off early in 2005, Allied Drive homes have been served by well No. 20, which doesn't have high levels of manganese. And, even though the utility plans to bring well No. 10 back into service part time during the flushing, the volume of water from the well will be so low that none of it will be going to Allied Drive homes, said Al Larson, principal engineer for the utility.

Others who are in the well No. 10 service area, however, are preparing for the advisory going into effect.

Grocery stores, such as the Sentry in Hilldale Shopping Center, were stocking more bottled water. And other bottled water sellers were reporting an increase in business.

Steve Blischke, a sales representative for Premium Waters, said bottled water business has doubled from residential customers concerned about water safety.

At the Sunny Hill Health Care Center, on Nakoma Road, administrator Darla Armstrong said one of her elderly residents has liver disease and is drinking bottled water because of the advisory. She said the health-care center has also stocked up on more bottled water than usual for residents who don't want to drink tap water.

Meanwhile, workers with the Madison Water Utility continued to work on well No. 10 in preparation for the well being put into operation again for the flushing. The well was run for much of the day Tuesday and water from the well was tested throughout the period.

David Denig-Chakroff, the utility's general manager, said the last test of manganese levels at the well showed the mineral at 90 parts per billion, above the federal Environmental Protection Agency's aesthetic advisory of 50 ppb but below the health advisory level of 300 ppb. Two weeks ago, the well tested at about 160 ppb.

Denig-Chakroff said there is probably a manganese level at which the well would not be used, even during the flushing. But he said he wasn't sure what that number might be.

"I suppose there is some level at which we would say no," Denig-Chakroff said. "But I don't expect it to be at any such level."

- Reporter Anita Clark contributed to this story.