After 7 days without water, more Germantown residents OK'd to begin flushing water systems - Commercial Appeal

Germantown residents given the all clear to start using water after flushing it out
Brooke Muckerman

All Germantown residents were able to flush their water systems and begin water consumption Thursday.

This comes after the seven-day water restriction put in place after a diesel fuel leak from a generator powering the Southern Avenue water treatment plant.

Areas of Germantown were systematically cleared to begin the flushing process of the city water lines Thursday. The first area cleared was west of the Kimbrough Road to the western city limits and north of Poplar Avenue to the northern city limits. They were able to begin flushing their water at 9 a.m.

The second area was given the OK to start the flushing process and consumption at noon. These customers and residents were located north of Poplar Avenue between Kimbrough Road and Forest Hill Irene Road.

Around 2 p.m. Thursday, the city announced all water customers were cleared to begin system flushing and resume consumption and normal use of water

The city provided a map that outlined what areas were able to begin the flushing process.

Customers seeing sediment or discoloration from their taps should not be alarmed. This is due to the extensive flushing of city water mains in order to clear them of the diesel contamination, the city said.

Those who have not detected the diesel odor in their home should open all faucets and let the water run for 5 minutes. If odor was detected in the home, a more extensive process is needed.

If diesel odor is detected, the city advises customers to follow these steps:

- Step 1: Open a couple of cold water taps and run for 15 minutes to clear the customer service line from main.
- Step 2: Open each cold tap one at a time and run that for 5 minutes to clean that specific line. Begin nearest to where water enters the building and move toward the farthest tap. Repeat for the rest of the cold taps.
- Step 3: Repeat steps 1 and 2 but instead run hot water through the taps. To flush your water heater, fill a bathtub and drain twice.
- Step 4: Any dishes or clothing washed while the restriction was in place should be rewashed.
- Step 5: Water-using devices may require additional cleaning steps in addition to flushing (e.g., discarding ice). Consult the device manufacturer’s maintenance instructions.

Also: Water restrictions lifted for some Germantown residents: What to know

If residual odor is detected in the water after this more extensive flushing process is complete, please repeat the process a second time. If odor persists, contact customer service at CustomerService@Germantown-TN.gov or (901) 757-7200.

Germantown officials continue to urge residents to sign up for the city's alert system. To opt in, visit Germantown-TN.gov/alert or text “alert” to 901-979-9955. Those who register via text must be sure to complete the registration process by clicking the link in the text reply.

Protect Our Aquifer weighs in on Germantown water crisis

Protect Our Aquifer, nonprofit group of citizens focused on clean drinking water in Memphis, published a letter regarding the Germantown water contamination Thursday afternoon. The letter says that Protect Our Aquifer has been assisting Germantown leadership on the best course of action concerning the contamination.

The group also outlined how the diesel was able to leak into the small hole in a pipe, which ended up contaminating the city's water supply. According to the letter, diesel overflowed onto the grass and soil and into the reservoir below the ground. Due to the 1.25-inch hole in the pipe, the diesel was able spread into the water source, thus causing the contamination.

"It is POA’s understanding that the full diesel spill and contaminated soil was not completely removed until Tuesday, July 25. Diesel in the soil continued to drip into the reservoir for days, and that is why the cleanup process took longer than expected," the letter said.

Protect Our Aquifer also offered the following solutions to the city of Germantown and urges residents to contact their mayor and elected officials to demand action.

Identify and remove any potential contamination hazards directly adjacent to the drinking water system, in line with Wellhead Protection Overlay Districts. Diversify backup power supply sources with solar at water treatment plants. Assess the current condition and location of backup generators. Add secondary spill containment systems to increase redundancy in the event of future toxic releases. Hold daily press conferences during crisis situations, providing details, as well as water sample results.

The city of Germantown has released two videos on social media giving residents updates on the water contamination. The last press conference was Monday.

Brooke Muckerman covers county government for The Commercial Appeal. She can be reached at Brooke.Muckerman@commercialappeal.com, and followed on Twitter @BrookeMuckerman