Rupert Water Boil Advisory Lifted
by Laurie Welch, originally posted on June 20, 2016
RUPERT • A water boil advisory in Rupert was lifted 8 p.m. Sunday.
The order was put in place for the city’s water system on Friday night.
A failure with a well pump motor caused a loss in pressure in the city’s water-distribution system.
James Taylor, head of Rupert’s water department, said Monday the water pressure in the system dropped to 12 pounds per square inche when a pump “kicked out” and a tank in the system spilled water.
Anything below 20 psi and the city has to send a sample to the Department of Environmental Quality to ensure the water supply didn’t become contaminated.
“We took samples to the lab in Pocatello, and it came back all clear,” Taylor said.
When the pressure drops it could indicate that there is a break or leak in the closed system, which could introduce contaminates.
It was a busy weekend, Taylor said, and the city was inundated with calls from residents who had additional questions about the boil order.
“There was five to 15 minutes between calls and they started at 7 in the morning and ended at 11:30 at night,” he said.
Most of the questions hinged on whether it was safe to use un-boiled water to water plants, for animals or for washing clothing.
Taylor said it is safe to use un-boiled water in all those instances, but water to wash dishes should be boiled under a water-boil advisory.