by Craig Baird, originally posted on September 14, 2016

Due to a water main break that caused the depressurization of the village’s water tower, Buena Vista has issued a boil water advisory for all residents. The advisory should remain in place for another two to three days until the Water Security Agency gives the all clear.

The break occurred in the main line outside a private residence around 3 a.m., but the village was not alerted to the break for several hours. The village currently has a system in place where a phone call is automatically issued from the water tower if the pressure begins to drop, but the system did not initiate the alert.

“What we monitor is the water pressure of the tower. If that goes down, then there is an automated telephone call that goes to one of our people to tell them something is wrong,” Mayor Bill Dinu said. “That part didn’t work. Our tower ended up draining over the night but we got working on it around 5 a.m.”

The village then had to refill the tower and the boil water advisory was issued at 10 a.m.

“In this situation, the Water Security Agency will do a preliminary water boil advisory until they can test the water,” Dinu said, adding that the test has already been completed. “It will be in place for a couple of days. As soon as they are satisfied it is fit for human consumption, they will get back to us.”

Until the advisory is lifted, residents are advised to boil the water used for drinking purposes for at least one minute at a rolling boil. Water should not be used for dishes if it is not boiled. Adults and adolescents can still shower, bathe or wash with tap water but should avoid swallowing the water. Residents can also do laundry.