A boil water order for about 700 customers in east Saint John is expected to remain in place until at least Saturday night, with an emergency water shutoff planned for some customers in Forest Hills Wednesday night for repairs, says the city.
The shutoff to approximately 100 homes and businesses is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. and last until approximately 7 a.m. on Thursday, according to an advisory issued on Wednesday afternoon.
Affected customers, who will receive hand-delivered notices, are being urged to draw enough water to meet their daily needs prior to the shutoff.
The areas affected by the shutoff include:
- Mountain View Drive, civic numbers 120-136
- Vista Ridge Crescent
- Candace Street
- Lynn Avenue
- Kelton Street
- Beverly Drive
- Kennington Street
”Provided the emergency repair work proceeds as planned tonight, crews will flush the water system tomorrow and we will get the first round of water samples followed by the second set of water samples on Friday,” the advisory states.
“Considering this, the earliest the boil water order could be lifted for the areas of Forest Hills and Champlain Heights would be Saturday evening.”
Customers will be notified when the order has been lifted, it states.
Boil before consumption
Until then, affected customers should bring their tap water to a rolling boil for at least one minute before drinking it, using it to brush their teeth, or to make ice, juice, coffee or tea, or washing vegetables that aren’t being cooked.
Tap water is safe to use for bathing or washing dishes.
The boil order was issued on Tuesday following the break of a 24-inch cast iron transmission main.
“In order to complete the [repairs] safely, Saint John Water will have to shut down a watermain that travels over the broken transmission main so that crews are not working under a large live watermain,” the advisory states.
The areas affected by the boil order include:
- The Forest Hills areas affected by the shutoff
- Cottage Road, civic numbers one to 138
- Bayside Drive, civic numbers 1142 to 1385
- Grandview Avenue, civic numbers 438 to 1223
- All of Champlain Heights
- Old Black River Road, civic numbers 777 to 916
- Berryman Street
- Helena Street
- Miranda Way
- Bernice Court
- McAllister Industrial Park
- 2 Cromwell Dr.
- Champlain Heights Irving
- Loch Lomond Road, civic numbers 999 and 1007
“We thank customers for their patience,” the city’s advisory states.
About 45,000 customers in the east, north and south ends of the city — or about 60 per cent of the customer base — were under a boil order for a few days earlier this month after heavy rains and high winds increased turbidity.