A broken underground water pipe that stopped service to the Laughlin strip for hours was repaired Sunday, but authorities said a boil water advisory likely will remain in effect until Monday for some residents and businesses in the unincorporated town 90 minutes south of Las Vegas.
Big Bend Water District officials said crews isolated the leak and fixed a pipeline that’s 12 inches (30.5 centimeters) in diameter and all water service had been restored to the Casino Drive Corridor that’s lined with casinos and resort hotels.
But officials said the boil water advisory won’t be lifted until water quality tests were completed and that wasn’t expected until sometime Monday.
In the meantime, Laughlin residents and businesses to the west at Thomas Edison Drive, east at Casino Drive, north at Route 163 and south at Harrah’s Laughlin were being urged not to drink or use tap water without boiling it first.
A spokesman for Harrah’s in Laughlin said the 1,500-room hotel was close to occupancy despite the water situation.
"We’re supplying water bottles to all our guests, all our rooms.
And we do have running water for toilets and sinks.
But Brandon Mack, a spokesman for the water district said it’s likely the pipeline failed because of heavy water use.
"In summer as water use increases, you can begin to see more issues like this," Mack told the Mohave Daily News.
"It’s the trend, especially in the desert."