← Back to Home

Boil-water advisory in effect for second day in Chapel Hill, Carrboro

A boil-water advisory remains in effect Tuesday for customers of the Orange Water and Sewer Authority.
The water utility is awaiting test results to make sure the water isn’t contaminated after a pipe broke Monday morning.
Results from 40 water samples collected throughout the community are expected by Tuesday evening, OWASA officials said in a news release.
The incident began when a water main broke outside the utility’s Jones Ferry Road water treatment plant Monday morning, flooding the street and leaving more than 80,000 customers in Chapel Hill and Carrboro with limited water.
That’s what happened Monday afternoon when a small leak cracked a pipe in Carrboro, temporarily shutting off water to 26 customers, she said.
“Throughout [Monday], our teams were turning off different valves and re-routing water or stopping the flow of water at different sections of the pipe, so they could isolate where along that pipe the water was leaking.” The water main break forced UNC to cancel classes Monday and Tuesday.
Related stories from Raleigh News & Observer UNC-Chapel Hill cancels classes Tuesday because of water main break Eight months after accident, OWASA to resume use of fluoride in water supply OWASA steps up process of flushing out water’s earthy odor, taste OWASA reports to Chapel Hill council, sets Friday board meeting Water ban deals a $471,479 hit to Chapel Hill-Carrboro hotels In February 2017, a break shut off water service to residential and business customers for more than 24 hours.
This year’s budget funds about 60 projects, including $5.5 million for water main upgrades.
Need to know A boil-water advisory is a precautionary step that OWASA is asking customers to take until testing can show tap water has not been contaminated during the water main break.
Use boiled or bottled water to make coffee and ice.

Learn More