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Is water drinkable when there is a water main break?

Posted: Sat Jun 11, 2011 3:24 pm
by Betsy Voinovich
Hi all,

I just read that Jammy Buggers might be closed tonight. It's located at the top of Westwood where there was a water main break today. This caused me to wonder if they were worried about the quality of the water. People from the City usually walk around and knock on doors if there's a problem with drinking the water, but that hasn't happened today.

Does anyone know if it's okay to drink the water?

Thanks.

Betsy Voinovich

Re: Is water drinkable when there is a water main break?

Posted: Sat Jun 11, 2011 3:53 pm
by Stan Austin
Betsy asked:

Does anyone know if it's okay to drink the water?


drink a glass--- we'll wait (with bated breath) for your post tomorrow morning

:lol:

Re: Is water drinkable when there is a water main break?

Posted: Sat Jun 11, 2011 3:56 pm
by Betsy Voinovich
Stan Austin wrote:Betsy asked:

Does anyone know if it's okay to drink the water?


drink a glass--- we'll wait (with bated breath) for your post tomorrow morning

:lol:


Or not! Not if I'm in the hospital!

Stan, I can't tell you how comforting it is to know that you're out there.

Betsy

Re: Is water drinkable when there is a water main break?

Posted: Sat Jun 11, 2011 7:34 pm
by Steve Hoffert
If pressure drops to below 20 psi in an unisolated line the city is supposed to issue a boil warning to those areas affected. The reason being that as long as pressure exists the water is pushing out of the pipe and contamination can't get in. If the pressure were to drop to zero then water from outside the pipe can get into the system. The likelihood for a problem is low, though, because of the amount of free chlorine that must be maintained in the water supply which tends to kill pathogens..