Boil water advisory issued in Phenix City areas after water main leak
PHENIX CITY, Ala. (WTVM) — Residents in multiple areas of Phenix City are advised to boil their tap water due to potential contamination.
The following roads and the areas near these roads are being put under the ‘boil water’ notice:
- Along 12th Avenue from 14th Place to 17th Street
- Along 14th Place
- Along 15th Street
- Along 15th Place
- And along 17th Street near 12th Avenue
Officials advise residents to boil their tap water for three minutes, then cool it before use, or use bottled water instead. Boiled and bottled water should be used for drinking, making ice, washing dishes, brushing teeth, and preparing food until further notice.
If you have stored water, ice, or drinks made recently, you should get rid of them.
The boil water notice applies to the areas that had no water pressure today.
The city states that the water could contain bacteria, viruses, and parasites that can cause symptoms such as diarrhea, cramps, nausea, headaches, or more. Additionally, these disease-carrying organisms can pose health risks to infants, young children, and elderly individuals with severely compromised immune systems.
Officials say the water will be tested for bacteria, and they will notify when the precautionary boil water notice is lifted.
The notice comes in light of a “severe water leak” that was found today, according to the city’s website. With repairs being made, the water had to be turned up to the above-stated area.
According to the city, this will lead to a loss of pressure in the distribution system, which may cause backpressure, backsiphonage, or a net movement of water from outside the pipe to inside through cracks, breaks, or joints in the distribution system that are common in all water systems. They state that the movement of water into a pipe from outside carries with it a potential that fecal contamination or other disease-causing organisms could enter the distribution system.
The water main is being repaired. It may take three to five days for the test results to come back.
You can contact the Phenix City Utilities Dispatch at 334-448-2903 or the Phenix City Water Filtration Plant at 334-291-4757.
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