[Press Release] : FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Combination of issues led to water main breaks on Thursday

[Press Releases]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Columbia Water & Light
573-874-7325
wlmail at CoMo.gov


Combination of issues led to water main breaks on Thursday

COLUMBIA, MO (June 24, 2016) - There were five water main breaks on the Columbia Water & Light system on Thursday, June 23 in the evening hours. The first four on this list happened around 6 p.m. The one on I-70 Southwest happened later in the evening. 

 


At 15 Hitt Street, a fire service line broke. It is a private line so it was shut off. No precautionary boil advisory was issued. 

At 812 Worley, a water main break that serves 20 customers was fixed under pressure so there was no precautionary boil advisory issued. (NOTE: earlier information stated that there was going to be a boil advisory) 

At 825 S Walnut, between 8th and 9th streets there were 20 customers impacted by a water main break. A precautionary boil advisory was issued for 24 hours. Unless customers are notified again, the boil advisory will be lifted in the early morning hours of Saturday, June 25. 

At 911 S. West Boulevard a water main break impacted five customers who are served by line. Unless customers are notified again, the boil advisory will be lifted in the early morning hours of Saturday, June 25.

Later on Thursday evening, a water main broke at 1000 I-70 Drive Southwest that serves six customers. A precautionary boil advisory was issued for 24 hours. Unless customers are notified again, the boil advisory will be lifted in the early morning hours of Saturday, June 25.


The cause of the water main breaks around 6:00 p.m. on Thursday was due to a combination of issues. During the evening, the water towers and reservoirs are filled. Filling the Walnut Street water tower could have caused a pressure surge causing older, cast iron pipes with weak areas to break. There has also been a slight increase in water main breaks over the last week due to the weather’s impact on the soil. Due to the high clay content in Columbia’s soil, it can shift during times of extreme weather and/or moisture content changes. 

 

Water tests for contamination take 24 hours to process so the people that were notified of the precautionary boil advisory will be under one until the early morning hours of Saturday. If there is any contamination found in the tests, the customers will be notified. 

 

The Missouri Department of Natural Resources (DNR) requires Columbia Water & Light to call a precautionary boil advisory when the water pressure drops below 20 psi. A drop in pressure could cause a backflow situation where something could be siphoned into the water distribution system. Water samples take 24 hours to process to see if there is any contamination. 

 

Customers under a precautionary boil advisory are urged to take the following steps until Saturday morning unless notified by Columbia Water & Light: 

·         Boil water for three minutes prior to using it for cooking or drinking.

·         Do not consume ice from an automatic ice maker. Remake ice with water that has been boiled for three minutes.

·         Wash dishes and food contact surfaces by immersing for one minute in clean tap water that contains one teaspoon of unscented bleach per gallon of water.



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