by Donna Campbell, originally posted on January 19, 2017

A week after samples of Brookhaven’s drinking water showed the presence of E. coli and coliform bacteria, a boil-water advisory issued by the Mississippi State Department of Health was lifted.

“All clear,” Mayor Joe Cox said at lunchtime Wednesday even while restaurants connected to the city’s lines continued to serve customers bottled water and store-bought ice.

About 12,500 customers have been under the state’s advisory since the morning of Jan. 12 after the bacteria was found in routine samples Jan. 11.  That accounts for about 4,800 households and businesses, Cox said.

The state required two days of clear samples before the advisory could be lifted. City workers collected samples at 24 sites throughout the city each day Brookhaven was under the advisory. Monday’s samples came back negative for E. coli. Less than 24 hours after Tuesday’s samples were delivered to the state health department in Jackson, the city got the all clear.

Many residents have complained to members of the Brookhaven Board of Aldermen that they didn’t know about the advisory, or that they were told by city employees it was for only a 30-block area of the city east of South First Street.

Ward 4 Alderwoman Shirley Estes heard from her constituents. “I got a lot of calls and I asked people to spread it in their neighborhoods,” she said at Tuesday night’s alderman meeting.

Ward 3 Alderwoman Mary Wilson said not everyone uses social media, watches the news or reads the newspaper so they didn’t know about the advisory. She said even though flyers were posted, more should have been placed around the city.

Casey Martin, who lives on North Rushing Street, was tagged on Facebook after the initial advisory from the state. Her mother, who lives nearby, called the Brookhaven Water Department because Martin was concerned about the effect of the water on the health of her special-needs child. One of her two daughters has Aicardi syndrom, which causes her to have a weak immune system and daily seizures.

She has feeding tubes as well.

Martin’s mother was told they weren’t in the area under the advisory issued by the state. They found out later that night that they were.

E. coli and total coliform bacteria in the water samples indicate that the water may have been contaminated with human or animal wastes. Microbes in these wastes can cause short-term effects such as diarrhea, cramps, nausea, headaches or other symptoms. They may pose a special health risk for infants, young children and people with severely compromised immune systems.

“Knock on wood, we’ve been fine,” Martin said. “It’s been rough, though.”

Martin said it’s been difficult to clean the supplies they use to care for her daughter. “We’re boiling water to wash them. Then boiling water to rinse,” she said. “It’s taking twice as long to clean her supplies.”

Martin said her family receives text messages to alert them about potential river flooding at a cabin they own elsewhere. She’d like to see the city look into that sort of system for Brookhaven. “That would be amazing,” she said.

Cox said the city is doing just that.

He wants to find a better, cost-effective way to get the word out about incidents like boil-water advisories, weather emergencies and road closures.

“There’s some technology out there we’re going to take advantage of,” he said.

Officials are researching several companies that can provide that service. One would cost about $15,000. “That’s probably one we’re not going to use,” he said.

He said it was “very odd” for Brookhaven to have a problem with its lines. The water system is in “real good shape” and has scored 5 out of 5 on its annual inspection reports by the health department, he said.

Kris Xifos, superintendent of the Brookhaven Water Department, said the freezing temperatures the city experienced Jan. 6-8 caused pipes to leak. Those leaks were repaired Jan. 9, but the leaks caused a loss of pressure in the water lines which resulted in the contamination.

“Something like this is going to happen every once in a while,” Cox said. “It’s how you deal with it when it happens that counts. We’re sorry for any inconvenience it may have caused anyone.”

The Comox Valley Regional District (CVRD), in conjunction with Island Health, has issued a boil water notice effective immediately.

originally posted on January 20, 2017

The Comox Valley Regional District (CVRD), in conjunction with Island Health, has issued a boil water notice effective immediately.

Due to the intense rainfall experienced in the watershed earlier this week, high turbidity levels in Perseverance Creek have caused Comox Lake to become turbid.

High turbidity can interfere with the chlorination process used to disinfect the drinking water for the 45,000 residents served by the Comox Valley water system.

All users of the Comox Valley water system are instructed to boil their drinking water for one minute at a rolling boil.

Those areas affected by this boil water notice are the City of Courtenay, the Town of Comox, and the Comox Valley, Arden, Marsden/Camco, Greaves Crescent, and England Road water local service areas. (Please note: this boil water notice does not affect residents in the Village of Cumberland, Royston, Sandwick water system users, or those connected to the Black Creek-Oyster Bay water supply system).

by Hannah Yang, originally posted on January 20, 2017

by Jillian Trainor, originally posted on January 20, 2017

Residents of Burton will be pleased to know the boil water notice that has been in effect in thecommunity since the end of November has been downgraded. In its place is a water quality advisory.

The advisory is similar to a boil water notice in that there is a recognized risk to using water that hasnot been boiled, but it’s a lower level risk.

“Under a water quality advisory we do advise any seniors or very young children or anyone withimmune system considerations boil their water or find an alternate source,” said Jason McDiarmid,manager of utility services for the Regional District of Central Kootenay (RDCK). “It’s somewhat of apersonal decision. Basically, the water is likely ok, but there’s still the potential risk in there.”

It is advised that anyone who falls under these at risk categories still boil their water for one minutewhen it comes to doing things like washing fruits and vegetables, making beverages, or brushingteeth.

Owners of all public facilities must post a water quality advisory at all sinks or drinking waterfountains accessible to the public. Alternatively, public fountains and taps may be turned off. Asopportunities arise, they must also advise their clientele verbally of the advisory.

McDiarmid said the water advisory will remain in place for the time being, but the temporarychlorination will be in place for a short period of time.

“We got enough feedback from the community that there was enough people concerned usimplementing chlorination without us talking to them,” said McDiarmid. “We decided to only run thetemporary chlorinator for another couple of weeks or so.”

The water quality advisory will remain in place until members of the RDCK meets with thecommunity, which will likely be sometime in March.

Originally posted on September 14, 2016

MUNCIE (WTHR) – The city of Muncie has issued a Boil Water Alert for all customers using city water until 10 p.m. Tuesday.

Ball State University is included in this advisory.

All customers should refrain from drinking water until the advisory is lifted.

According to Delaware County Emergency Management officials, the advisory was issued due to a failure at one of the city’s water plants.

They say the advisory was issued as a precautionary measure.

All Indiana American Water customers in Muncie should bring their water to a boil for one full minute before use.

If you have questions, the water company has provided an FAQ about the advisory here.

This story will be updated as more information becomes available.

originally posted on January 24, 2017

Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2017

AIKEN COUNTY, S.C. (WRDW/WAGT) — Residents earlier affected by a boil water advisory in the Langley Water & Sewer District may resume drinking and cooking with their water without boiling first. The boil water advisory has been repealed.

Friday, Jan. 20, 2017

AIKEN COUNTY, S.C. (WRDW/WAGT) — The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control are advising customers of the Langley Water & Sewer District to boil their water.

Langley Water & Sewer says a major line break has resulted in a loss of pressure and service for many customers from Tutt Street, Jones Circle, Robinson Street, High Street, Hillside Road, Carline Road, Crossover Road, 2902 Augusta Road to 3022 Augusta Road and all customers of Boggy Gut area.

There has been no confirmation of contamination of the system, but because of the loss of pressure the potential for contamination exists.

Customers are advised to boil their water for at least one minute before drinking or cooking until further notice.

Water system personnel are working to restore pressure and service to the entire system.

By Paola Loriggio, originally posted on November 13, 2016

NORTH CARIBOU LAKE , Ont. — A water main line in a northwestern Ontario First Nation has been fixed but the community will remain under a boil-water advisory until tests confirm there is no contamination.

Bob Nault, the Liberal MP for Kenora, says residents of the North Caribou Lake First Nation who have been without clean drinking water since last week could need to stick to bottled water for up to two more weeks.

Nault says he spoke to the community’s Chief Dinah Kanate, who told him some people had reported experiencing rashes they believed may be related to the water problem.

But he says the link has not yet been confirmed.

He says it’s unclear what caused the main line pumps and filters to clog, but any time water stops flowing it risks becoming contaminated.

Nault says the water will now be chlorinated as the community of roughly 700 waits for water samples to be tested.

“Until it’s tested and confirmed that everything’s back to normal, the boil water stays on,” he said.

“You can get rashes, you can even get potential E.coli, all sorts of things if you don’t have a regular flow of water through the systems.”

Ottawa last month announced it would invest $4 million to expand its program aimed at increasing access to safe drinking water in Ontario First Nations.

The expanded project is meant to eliminate boil-water advisories in 19 communities, including North Caribou Lake.

Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne admitted that the Ontario and federal governments have not managed to provide safe drinking water to First Nations communities.

“We haven’t figured out how to partner in the best way on First Nations water,” Wynne told a Toronto conference Monday.

Nault says access to clean drinking water has been a problem for many First Nations for a long time.

“This is going to take a while, I don’t think anyone is expecting a miracle overnight,” he said, adding the government expects to end the advisories within five years.

He said he is aware of other communities in northwestern Ontario that are having issues with their water treatment plants, sewer lines and water lines.

“We just have to be quick to react and to work with the communities to get it resolved as quickly as possible,” he said.

By Katrease Stafford, originally posted on November 13, 2016

(UPDATE: The boil water advisory in Troy has been extended through at least Tuesday night.)

A large water main break in Troy early Sunday triggered a massive boil water alert in the city and nearby Rochester Hills, shut down restaurant service at parts of the Somerset Collection and caused flooding and a road closure.

Troy police said in a news release that the break, which impacted an 84-inch Great Lakes Water Authority main, happened about 3 a.m. on South Boulevard, west of Dequindre Road near the Sanctuary Lake Golf Course.

Authorities  shut down South Boulevard between Dequindre and John R  because of damage that has made the street impassable.

The break also caused water pressure in sections of Troy, as well as parts of Rochester Hills, to drop, raising the risk for bacterial contamination in the system and prompting the boil water advisory. The advisory, which is expected to last through at least Monday, impacts thousands of households.

GLWA spokeswoman  Amanda Abukhader said Sunday that she is not sure of what caused the break but said repairs began this afternoon. GLWA is a regional water authority that provides water and sewer services to millions of customers across Wayne, Oakland, Macomb and other counties.

“We’re working really closely with the municipalities to make sure everything is good to go,” Abukhader said. “We’re working on the repairs. We’re expecting the repairs to take around three to four days, and usually it takes a couple days to test the water.”

In Troy, the boil water advisory covers an area from Rochester Road to Adams Road and 14 Mile to South Boulevard. The east side of Troy is served by a separate 54-inch water main and has not been affected, though that could change, according to the Troy Police Department.

In Rochester Hills, the area south of Walton Boulevard from Adams Road to Dequindre Road is also under a boil water advisory, according to an announcement posted on the city’s Facebook page. It wasn’t immediately clear how long Rochester Hills’ advisory will be in effect.

In the posting, Rochester Hills officials said the advisory was issued due to a drop in pressure in the Great Lakes Water Authority water supply and the possibility that bacterial contamination may have occurred in the water system. According to the posting, corrective measures are currently under way to correct the situation.

The boil water notice will remain in effect until results from the sampling verify the water is safe to drink. Customers will be advised when the boil water advisory has been lifted.

“The GLWA is working to get pressure restored, and water staff will be taking other remedial actions such as flushing and collecting bacteriological samples from around the system,” the post said. “The samples will be collected to determine that the water quality meets the state drinking water standards. We will inform you when tests show no bacteria and you no longer need to boil your water. We anticipate resolving the problem within 24 hours.”

Pontiac did not have information about any impact to its city listed on its website.

Meanwhile, all restaurants and food service establishments at the Somerset Collection North in Troy were closed Sunday, according to a post on the mall’s Facebook page. Mall officials, in the post, said it was to “ensure the health and safety of our guests.”

According to the post, the restaurants will reopen when officials receive further notice from Troy officials. Somerset’s retail stores were open Sunday, along with  restaurants and food service establishments at Somerset Collection South.

The Troy police department is urging all residents to reduce water consumption throughout the city to help maintain water pressure, the release states.

Originally posted on November 14, 2016

Tuesday, Nov. 15, 2016

GROVETOWN, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) — A boil water advisor for residents in Grovetown has been canceled.

Residents no longer need to boil their water before drinking it.

Monday, Nov. 14, 2016

GROVETOWN, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) — A boil water advisory for residents living in the Robinson Avenue area of Grovetown will continue through Tuesday, according to the city.

On Friday, the city reported a water main break and urged people to boil their water. Residents should continue to boil all water prior to drinking, cooking, or preparing baby food.

There is still no word on when the boil water advisory will be lifted.

Friday, Nov. 11, 2016

GROVETOWN, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) — A boil water advisory has been issued for residents living near the railroad tracks on Robinson Avenue in Grovetown.

According to the city, a water main has broken nearby and people are urged to boil their water until at least Tuesday, Nov. 15.

Citizens should boil all water prior to use for drinking, cooking or preparing baby food.

by Rob Moore, originally posted on January 22, 2017

CLARKESVILLE — Clarkesville water customers who lost service on Ga. 115 West early Sunday should boil their water until further notice.

A water leak in the area along Ga. 115 West to Ga. 17, caused a loss of required pressure on the line overnight.