by Rene Stutzman, originally posted on April 12, 2016

 

A construction crew ripped open a 30-inch city water line at Interstate 4 and Colonial Drive in Orlando on Tuesday, sending a tower of water 12 feet into the air, flooding a street and, for a few hours, requiring thousands of people downtown to stop drinking tap water.

The break prompted a private school to send students home early, and for a time, everyone at all 14 downtown Orange County facilities — including judges, lawyers and felons at the courthouse — to stop drinking tap water.

The Orlando Utilities Commission, owner of the water line, issued a precautionary boil water order shortly before noon for much of downtown but later scaled back.

By mid-afternoon, all county facilities were given the all-clear, and OUC spokesman Tim Trudell said at that point only about 50 customers were affected, mostly businesses within a quarter mile radius of the break.

Still that includes residents of two major apartment complexes on Orange Avenue north of Colonial Drive that are home to more than 800 people: Park Avenue North at Cheney Place and SteelHouse Apartments.

Also under the boil-water order: the 40 employees at the U.S. Attorney’s Office on West Washington Street, said spokesman William Daniels.

In general, customers should boil their water if they are north of Concord Street, south of Marks Street, west of Orange Avenue and east of Lexington Avenue, Trudell said.

The accident happened about 10 a.m. on the northeast corner of I-4 and Colonial Drive, one of the busiest interchanges in Orlando.

A crew from SGL Constructors, the main contractor on the mammoth I-4 makeover, had dug down to the line as part of its assignment to rebuild the interchange, said Dave Parks, a consultant with the Florida Department of Transportation, which is in charge of the six-year project.

The crew could see the 30-inch water line, Parks said.

“They were in the process of placing a steel trench box in that hole to protect the water line,” he said. “The box somehow hit the water line.”

That punched a hole in it, sending water gushing 12 to 15 feet into the air, a sight that prompted motorists to stop and take photographs.

No one was hurt, Parks said.

The temporary water emergency prompted St. James Cathedral School to dismiss classes for the rest of the day shortly after noon.

For some customers, water pressure dropped so low the utility could no longer guarantee that its tap water was safe, so it advised them to boil water before drinking it.

Only one OUC customer lost all water service, Trudell said, but many downtown saw their water pressure drop as crews slowed the flow of water to make the repair.

 

PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY – The City of Prince Edward County continues to grapple with a water crisis after a partially submerged barge spilled contaminants into Picton Bay earlier this week.
Thursday, after discovering a foul odor in the Picton raw water sampling line (an early warning system) the County took the additional step of stopping water production at the Picton water drinking plant.
County officials said during a press conference Thursday they will begin shuttling treated water from other potable water sources starting immediately; as a result, a precautionary boil water advisory for all customers connected to the Picton/Bloomfield drinking water system has been implemented by Hastings Prince Edward Public Health.
The water drinking plant was shut down Tuesday afternoon as a precaution after an oily sheen entered the Picton Intake Protection Zone 1, an area some 700 metres from the water intake pipe to the drinking water system.
They are receiving wide spread support from neighbouring communities and have assurances from the Bay of Quinte Mohawks water treatment plant and the City of Belleville that water will be provided if needed.
“Our local haulers have stepped up in a big way to assist us, and we have received a wide spread offer of support from neighbouring municipalities,” said County commissioner Robert McAuley.
The Eastern Canada Response Corporation (ECRC) was handling the cleanup of the spill, believed to be less than 30 litres of diesel fuel and hydraulic fluid that was contained in jerry cans on the deck of the barge when it sunk last Friday afternoon near the Picton Terminals.
Authorities say the barge contains about 1,200 litres of diesel fuel and 100 litres of hydraulic fluid, and the coast guard says the risk of further contamination is extremely low.
No contaminants are known to have entered the water system.
The boil water advisory will remain in place until such time it is lifted by the Hastings Prince Edward Public Health.

by Jereal Cawis, originally posted on April 10, 2016

 

E. Coli was found in some portions of the Wellesley College water system. Students and faculty members are advised to boil their water before using it.

On April 7, E. Coli bacteria were found in the water supply of Fiske House. The bacteria were also present in other buildings – Weston Terrace Apartments, Page School (Child Studies Center), and Wellesley Community Children’s Center.

The school, along with Department of Environmental Protection, Massachusetts released a notice (PDF), advising the community to boil the water before drinking it,or better yet, use bottled water.

“The advisory was issued on the basis of routine testing of our water system, which determined that the portion of the system that reaches those four buildings has tested positive for bacterial contamination,” Wellesley College said.

The notice was composed of elaborate information on what people must do to avoid being sick due to the contamination.

The school emphasized the necessary steps to get rid of the contaminated water in the area. Some information also includes what the bacteria can do to human health, as well as the contact numbers for emergency and information with regards to the water contamination.

The Notice

Authorities advised the people of Wellesley College to boil their water for at least one minute, disinfect, include bleach whenever washing dishes and sterilize them after, use a sponge bath instead of using bathtubs in bathing, and use boiled water whenever brushing your teeth.

In other household activities that need clean water, such as cooking and washing of raw foods, people must use boiled or disinfected water.

Precautions are the same for the water that pets drink.

Wellesley College is already working on eliminating the bacteria in the water systems of the buildings involved. The water is safe to drink in other places in the campus that were not reported to have contamination. Luckily, dining halls and other eating areas are not affected.

Escherichia Coli bacteria can cause diarrhea, nausea, cramps and headaches. It can cause severe symptoms to those with a weak immune system, infants, children, and elderly.

There is no current treatment for illnesses caused by E.Coli, but you can address the symptoms through rest and taking lots of fluids to avoid dehydration. It is advisable not to take anti-diarrheal medication, as this can prevent the excretion of toxins out of the body.

As a result of the discovery of a foul odor in the Picton raw water sampling line (an early warning system), the County has taken the additional step of stopping water production at the Picton Drinking Water Plant.
The County will begin shuttling treated water from other potable water sources today; as a result, a precautionary boil water advisory for all customers connected to the Picton/Bloomfield Drinking Water System has been implemented by the Hastings and Prince Edward Counties Health Unit.
Mayor Robert Quaiff’s full comments from his Thursday afternoon press conference can be heard below.
Indications of contamination from the sampling line served as a warning to ensure that no contaminants were drawn into the intake itself.
· The Boil Water Advisory will remain in place until such time that it is lifted by the Hastings and Prince Edward Counties Health Unit.
· Once the Boil Water Advisory is lifted, communications will be shared through local media outlets, social media and The County’s website.
At that time, affected users are recommended to flush household plumbing through the cold water tap until water runs cold to the touch.
· The County is committed to providing a consistent supply of safe drinking water to all consumers of The County’s municipal drinking water systems.
· Anyone with the ability to transport more than 5,000 gallons of treated water is encouraged to contact the County – additional haulage capacity would be welcome.
1023 or info@pecounty.on.ca.

by Andrea Finney, originally posted on April 4, 2016

 

PANGBURN (KATV) – The Department of Health issued a ‘boil water’ notice Monday for Pangburn residents with the exception of the Hickory Flat area.

The order was issued as a precautionary measure. According to Pangburn Waterworks, contaminated water might have entered the distribution system.

The water may be unsafe for human consumption, and water used for drinking or food preparation must be boiled briskly for one (1) minute prior to use. All ice cubes should be discarded and only boiled water should be used for making ice.

This precautionary boil water notice will remain in effect until the problem has been resolved, and a bacteriological survey shows that the water is safe to drink.

originally posted on June 11, 2016

 

Customers of the Pithole Water Association in Cyclone are advised to boil their water before consuming it or cooking.

The association is experiencing issues that require the precaution until customers are notified otherwise.

by Katy Andersen, originally posted on June 15, 2016

 

JACKSON COUNTY, W.Va. (WSAZ) – Cottageville PSD have issued an expanded coverage area boil water advisory.

A water problem in Cottageville, Millwood, Mt. Alto and Evergreen Hills caused water contamination Saturday.

Cottageville PSD advises people in the area to not drink the water without boiling it first.

According to Cottageville PSD, there is a high probability that customer’s water is contaminated.

Testing has not occurred to confirm or deny the presence of contamination in the water.

Cottageville PSD crews are on site trying to determine the problem. They hope to have it fixed within four to five days.

The areas affected are:
Rt. 62
Conrad Hill
Flatwoods Rd. (from Conrad Hill Rd. to Weekley Rd.)
Rt. 331 to Kings Rd.
Rt. 2 / Rt. 62 Intersection to Constellium Entrance
Mt. Alto

The Cottageville PSD will inform customers when they no longer need to boil their water.

For additional information, contact Cottageville PSD at 304-372-4317.

General guidelines on ways to lessen the health risk are available from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 1-800-426-4791.

UPDATE 6/15/16 @ 12:13 a.m.
COTTAGEVILLE, W.Va. (WSAZ) — Water service in the Cottageville area of Jackson County has been restored but a boil water advisory remains in effect.

Service was disrupted for a week because a water line broke. However the project was not cut and dry because the line that was broken was actually in Mill Creek.

Crews laid a new line to replace the one that was broken.

The Cottageville Public Service District drained the tanks and they provided water at the fire departments and schools were opened up so that people could take showers.

The Cottageville Fire Department also delivered water to some residents.

A boil water advisory will remain in effect until water samples come back clean.

 

by Kiven Dupuy, originally posted on June 11, 2016

 

LEMANNVILLE – Officials in Ascension Parish issued a boil water advisory Saturday for parts of the Lemanville area.

According to the Ascension Parish Office of Homeland Security, the boil water advisory is in effect for Ascension Consolidated Utilities District #1 water customers living in the Lemanville area along Highway 18.

Water may be consumed after boiling for at least 20 minutes, and is safe to wash with, parish officials said.

 

by Amy Marchiano, originally posted on June 11, 2016

 

A water main break at Sixth and Market streets in Pottsville on Friday was due to a leaking joint.

Residents from 600 to 1126 W. Market St. on the north side are under a boil water advisory until Monday, at the earliest, according to Patrick M. Caulfield, executive director of the Schuylkill County Municipal Authority.

Caulfield said in an email Friday that 42 customers were affected. Under the boil advisory, customers should boil water for a minimum of one minute before drinking.

Doug Holley, a plumber with the authority, said he was in the area at 10:45 a.m. Friday and noticed water coming out of the road. Customers lost water from 10:45 a.m. to 4 p.m., when the water was restored, Holley said.

Holley did not know how old the cast iron pipe was but said it was probably “over 100 years old.” He said the leaking joint might have been due to age.

A backhoe with a cement buster was used to chip at a hole measuring approximately 6 feet wide by 12 feet long. Some of the water pooled in the hole and was pumped through a pipe down West Market Street. A fire hydrant on West Market Street was also turned on so water could flow out of it.

A belt clamp was used to repair the leaking joint.

By 5:15 p.m., the hole was paved over.

In related business, a planned water shutoff took place at 10 p.m. Friday to repair a water main in the city. Loss of water may occur until mid-afternoon today. Customers who experience a complete loss of water should boil water for a minimum of one minute before drinking. Affected customers may want to take precautions, such as bottled water, during the outage.

The affected areas are:

• 300-1398 Laurel Blvd.

• 305-1025 W. Race St.

• 601-1447 W. Market St.

• 300-1440 W. Norwegian St.

• 214-1132 Mahantongo St.

• 201-725 W. Howard Ave.

• 200-523 Schuylkill Ave.

• Second Street from Howard Avenue heading south to dead end

• Third Street between Laurel Boulevard and Race Street

• Third Street between West Division Street and Union Street

• Fourth Street between Laurel Boulevard and Race Street

• Fourth Street between West Division Street and Union Street

• Fifth Street between West Division Street and Pierce Street

• Sixth Street between Sillyman Street and Pierce Street

• Seventh Street between Arch Street and Howard Avenue

• Eighth Street between Laurel Boulevard and Howard Avenue

• Ninth Street between Burd Street and Howard Avenue

• 10th Street between Burd Street and Howard Avenue

• 11th Street between West Market Street and Howard Avenue

• 12th Street between Laurel Boulevard and Howard Avenue

• 13th Street between West Market and Johnson streets

• 14th Street between West Market and Johnson streets

• 15th Street between West Market and Norwegian streets

• All of Mine, Speacht, Grant, Vine streets

originally posted on June 10, 2016

 

Customers of the Eastern Wyoming Public Service District from Mullens Grade School to Town Ridge Acres in Mullens are under a boil water advisory due to a break in the main line.

Richwood Water Department has issued a boil advisory issued for the South End of Oakford from the red light to Oakford Bridge, including all side streets and Edgewood Avenue, Valley Avenue, Railroad Avenue, School Street, Home Street, White Avenue and BFG Street due to a fire hydrant repair

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.

The boil water notice issued by the Nettie Leivasy PSD from intersection of Lost Road on Route 39 to Neva Road on Route 39 including the side roads of Blackberry Lane and Cavalier Road has been lifted.

The boil water notice issued by the Nettie Leivasy PSD for the customers in the Canvas area and Ward Road has also been lifted.