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Water main break prompts boil advisory order for parts of Vanderburgh Co.

Posted by Brittany Harry, originally posted on October 12, 2016

 

EVANSVILLE, IN (WFIE) – A water main break early Tuesday at 8901 N. Kentucky Avenue, near Mt. Pleasant and Highway 41 forced people South from junction point Highway 41 and highway 57, all East of highway 41, West of Highway 57 and North to I-64 in Vanderburgh County under a precautionary boil advisory for at least 48 hours.

The iron pipe that exploded was approximately 30 years old, 12 inches long and so big it almost completely drained one of their water towers. Director of Evansville water and sewer utility Allen Mounts told 14 News the pipe quote “literally blew up.”

This affects hundreds of homes and businesses and even some schools in the area. Officials were ready. Scott Elementary was the first school affected to take precautionary measures by bringing in gallons of water before the official advisory was even issued. It wasn’t the only school affected by this, though.

“We went ahead for Scott and took bottled water and cups out for the students and staff just to be on the safe side. Not to long ago a boil advisory was issued and it included North High School and North Junior High, so as soon as that boil water order was issued we took bottled water out to those schools, the large containers of bottled water, so that those students and staff could also have that. So, as soon as that boil water advisory came out we responded with that,” Jason Woebkenberg Chief Communication Officer for Evansville Vanderburgh School Corporation said.

Wendy’s right down the road, also part of the boil order, hard at work making sure their customers are not contaminated by the water.

“We have to shut everything down on water, we have to replace our cokes and buy cokes and water bottles and hand sanitizer for our customers and for us and then we also have to boil water,”Wendy’s Manager Jessica Kelin said.

Officials are still unsure of what exactly caused this water main break and are continuing to work to figure out a cause. This boil advisory is expected to last at least 48 hours, and it could last longer if the water doesn’t pass the required tests.?

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