by Harlan Daily Enterprise, originally posted on May 29, 2016

 

Due to a main line break, Cawood Water District has issued a boil-water advisory for all customers.

by David Warren, originally posted on May 29, 2016

 

DALLAS (AP) — A glass of drinking water hasn’t been easy to come by lately for the 320,000 people in Corpus Christi.

The Texas Gulf Coast city has issued three orders in less than a year telling residents to boil their water to ensure it’s safe to consume, including a two-week order this month that sparked outrage, contributed to the city manager’s resignation and renewed questions about how to fix the problem.

Corpus Christi is one of many U.S. communities coping with water problems caused by aging infrastructure. With costly upgrades unrealistic for many cash-strapped cities, including Corpus Christi, the water problems seem likely to persist.

“We’re talking about supplying water in the year 2016, and we’re having these problems over and over again,” dentist Rene Vela told the Corpus Christi Caller-Times. “It’s starting to affect my family, my employees and I’m sure the rest of the city. It’s ridiculous.”

The issues of safe drinking water and eroding infrastructure gained widespread attention in recent months due to the crisis in Flint, Michigan, where lead pipes contaminated the water supply after the city switched from a metropolitan Detroit system to improperly treated Flint River water in 2014 while under state management.

In Texas alone, there were 1,550 boil-water advisories last year, up from about 1,100 in 2012 and 650 in 2008, according to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.

Fourteen Texas cities with populations exceeding 100,000 have issued at least one boil-water advisory in the last five years. Other U.S. metro areas have had similar problems: In recent years the residents of Toledo, Ohio, a city of 400,000, were told not to drink the water after toxins penetrated the system, and the Seattle suburb of Mercer Island avoided tap water for nearly a week after elevated levels of E. coli were found.

Greg DiLoreto, past president of the American Society of Civil Engineers, said an additional $105 billion must be spent to modernize water and wastewater treatment facilities in a country that sees 240,000 water main breaks a year. But it’s a tall order in light of how the upgrade burden falls largely on local water utilities, many of which serve only a few hundred or even a few dozen customers.

“If you want fewer incidents and you want quality water, you’re going to have to increase water rates,” DiLoreto said. “We’re not understanding the true cost of operating, maintaining and replacing a full water utility.”

DiLoreto and other water quality experts say that while the increase in boil-water notices in many states reflects problems with failing public utility systems, they also speak to new rules and greater transparency in notifying the public when water quality may be undermined.

As Steve Via with the American Water Works Association explains, “It does eventually work its way back to an aging infrastructure because if the public isn’t aware of the consequences of not taking care of our drinking water then they’re not supporting the investment to keep it up to date and improving on it.”

There are many reasons a city’s water quality can be compromised, among them broken water mains, loss of pressure, high bacteria levels and weather-related causes. Several appear to apply to Corpus Christi.

The city’s latest advisory, which ended Wednesday, was largely a precautionary measure taken after nitrogen-rich runoff from rain flowed into the water system, resulting in low chlorine disinfectant levels in the water supply. Corpus Christi typically receives about 10 inches of rain by this time of year, but 2016 has been unusually wet with more than 18 inches, according to the National Weather Service.

Previous boil-water notices were issued in July and September, the first for elevated levels of E. coli and the second for low chlorine levels, the Caller-Times reported. The notices mirror two others that were issued in 2007. In some cases, various parts of the city were affected, and in others, such as the most recent one, the notice was citywide.

City crews have worked to reconfigure some mains to ensure that water keeps circulating and to prevent bacteria growth. But an overarching concern is an old water system where more than half of 225 miles of cast-iron pipe needs to be upgraded, according to the newspaper. Many of the pipes were installed in the 1950s and when they decay they’re prone to collapse or to slow water flow, allowing bacteria to fester.

A fear for civic leaders is that the recurring advisories could cause long-term harm to the area’s vibrant tourism business for its miles of sun-splashed beaches and protected coastline brimming with wildlife.

Mayor Nelda Martinez said at a news conference Wednesday that city staff must do better at identifying problems before they lead to a public health hazard.

“This is a symptom of our significant deferred maintenance challenge — it tells us how much work we have in front of us and where we need to prioritize our resources,” Martinez said. “And it’s not just about addressing structural needs but looking at how we handle the operational aspects as well.”

by Jared Thompson, originally posted on May 28. 2016

 

NETAWAKA, Kan. (KSNT) — Netawaka, Kansas is on a boil water advisory. The advisory was started May 19th and is still ongoing.

Water main breaks have been a huge issue here in Netawaka, Ks. and the city has finally done something to fix it. But the result is a mess in front of homes.

The city has water main breaks constantly and boil water advisories are nothing new to the city. What makes this advisory different is that it will last up to three months.

“We’re having too many breaks and too much water loss that we don’t know where it’s going,” Bruce Meininger, Mayor of Netawaka said. The older pipelines were real old and brittle and it was just time for an upgrade.”

When the city has a water main break the entire city’s water gets shut off due to only one water valve. The purpose of this project is to reduce that issue and place several water valves around the town.

“Well, you lose your pressure and things come loose inside the pipeline. Your chlorination goes down at that point. It’s just hard to keep things like they’re supposed to be.”

Luckily, Red Cross has decided to help out. Locals can go to their gym where the gym is able to keep cases of water in their storage room to hand out.

People in Netawaka seem to be pretty understanding of the situation.

“It’s a little tough, but it’s not bad, Arnold Robertson, resident, said. It would be a lot worse if we didn’t have water.”

“I’m not disappointed about them doing the pipes,” Herschel Keithline, resident, said. “I would have rather they did it in August or July when it’s not so wet.”

Locals say it’s not as bad as people think. They say they boil water when they cook and the only difference is buying bottled water.

 

‘There is no need to worry in any way at this time,’ Ste-Julie Mayor Suzanne Roy says

originally posted on May 28, 2016

 

A 48-hour boil water advisory was issued for the town of Ste-Julie on Montreal’s South Shore Friday night.

The advisory was launched after a major supper-time breakdown caused a drop in water pressure, according to mayor Suzanne Roy.

• How to make it through boil water advisory

Though the pressure didn’t drop for more than the standard 15 minutes before issuing a boil water advisory, the mayor initiated it anyways as a preventative measure.

“There is no need to worry in any way at this time,” Roy told Radio-Canada Saturday morning. “There are no health risks or other issues. It was really a precautionary advisory.”

• How to make it through boil water advisory

More than 10,000 automated calls were made to warn Ste-Julie residents she said. The town also used electronic signs, its website and text message alerts.

“I think we probably reached everyone,” Roy said.

by Kelsey Davis, originally posted on May 27, 2016

 

Residents hooked up to the South East Kelowna Irrigation District are no longer under a boil water advisory, however, water quality is still only fair.

On Wednesday night, the South East Kelowna Irrigation District issued a boil water notice for users on the surface water system.

Friday afternoon, that was downgraded to a water quality advisory, effective immediately.

“Testing shows that current water quality is fair due to turbidity readings of between one and five NTU,” read a statement from the Irrigation District.

“Health risk increases as turbidity levels rise, particularly for at-risk populations such as newborns, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems.”

Children and infant under the age of two, those 65-years-of-age and older and people with weakened immune systems should be particularly careful. As a precaution, the Irrigation District is recommending that water intended for drinking, washing fruits and vegetables, making beverages and brushing teeth be boiled for one minute.

More information on the water quality advisory can be found online at sekid.com or by calling the South East Kelowna Irrigation District at 250-861-4200.

by Yvonne Wenger, originally posted on May 27, 2016

 

bout 3,000 city water customers in the Dundalk area will receive a notice about a violation due to an excessive amount of a chemical byproduct in their drinking water that officials said Friday requires notification but no other actions.

The Baltimore Department of Public Works announced that quarterly sampling from February 2015 to January showed an average value for haloacetic acids that exceeded the maximum contaminant level by 3 parts per billion. Haloacetic acids form when disinfectants react with organic matter in water, according to the agency. Levels at the sampling location on Wise Avenue have since returned to normal.

“Although this incident was not an emergency, DPW customers have the right to know what happened and what we are doing to correct the situation,” the agency wrote in a statement. “Customers do not need to boil water or take other corrective actions.”

About half of the 410,000 residential and commercial customers that Baltimore’s water system directly serves are in Baltimore County.

DPW routinely monitors dozens of sampling stations for drinking water contaminants, the agency says. The maximum level for haloacetic acids is 60 parts per billion. The average value for the Wise Avenue location was 63 parts per billion, during the impacted time frame.

Annual averages for all other sampling locations were below the maximum level, according to officials. The agency says its monthly sampling for haloacetic acids is done three times as often as required.

originally posted on May 27, 2016

 

The Raleigh County PSD has issued a boil water advisory for Compton Street and Reuben Avenue due to a main line break.

Beckley Water Company has issued a boil water advisory for South Sandbranch Road and all side streets due to a broken main line.

Customers are advised to bring all water to a full rolling boil, let it boil for one minute and let cool before using, or use bottled water. Boiled or bottled water should be used for drinking, making ice, brushing teeth, washing dishes, bathing, and food preparation until further notice. Boiling kills bacteria and other organisms in the water.

GLACE BAY — The CBRM Water Utility has issued a Boil Water Advisory for the Glace Bay water system.

originally posted on May 27, 2016

 

This includes the communities of Glace Bay, Dominion, Reserve Mines, Tower Road, Donkin, Port Caledonia, Birch Grove and Port Morien.

Water customers are advised to boil all water for at least 1 minute before drinking or any other activity that will result in consumption of the water.  This includes drinking, preparing infant formula, juices and ice cubes, washing fruits and vegetables and dental hygiene.

This boil advisory is being issued as a precautionary measure resulting from one water sample which indicated quality concerns. The advisory will remain in effect until the Utility gets two clear samples at the same location over a two day period.  In this case that would mean the earliest lifting of the advisory could come late Sunday morning.

The Glace Bay water system includes all customers in Glace Bay, Dominion, Reserve Mines, Tower Road, Donkin, Port Caledonia, Birch Grove and Port Morien.

The Utility is closely monitoring the situation and is continuing to test the water throughout the distribution system.

The Boil Water advisory is in effect until further notice.

by Thomas Lanahan, originally posted on May 27, 2016

 

COLUMBIA, SC (WACH) – The City of Columbia Water Works division is issuing a boil water advisory for Richland County customers of the 4100 and 4200 block of Devine Street, Kawana Road, Kipling Drive, Kalmia Drive and Poinsettia Street.

The City of Columbia has experienced an eighteen inch water line break in this area.

The division is currently working to correct the problem.

Residents in the area are asked to vigorously boil their water for at least one minute prior to drinking or cooking. Also, any ice made from water that has not been boiled should not be used for drinking purposes.

Residents should also expect traffic delays in the affected area. The inbound lane is currently blocked between Kipling Drive and Poinsettia Street and will remain blocked until further notice.

All food processors and restaurants should comply with prescribed USDA and SC DHEC recommendations, respectively. Should you have any questions pertaining to this advisory, please call the Lexington/Richland County Environmental Services at 803-896-0620.

Questions concerning healthcare facilities such as hospitals, nursing homes, and assisted living facilities should be directed to the SC DHEC Division of Health Licensing at 803-545-4370.

The City of Columbia Customer Care Call Center, 803-545-3300, may answer other inquiries concerning this Advisory.

originally posted on May 26, 2016

 

CARLISLE, Ky. (WTVQ) –  The City of Carlisle says an eight-inch water main break on School Drive has caused an advisory affecting everyone in Carlisle and Nicholas Co.

Residents should boil their water for at least three minutes before using for cooking or drinking.

The City will send out a notice when the advisory is lifted.