Finkam shares cause of boil-water advisory

Update: 2:05 p.m. Aug 13, 2025 — According to the Carmel Utilities website, the boil advisory for west Carmel was rescinded on Aug. 13 when no bacteriological contaminants were found in the samples that were taken on Aug. 12.

Carmel mayor Sue Finkam has likened the boil-water advisory for west Carmel residents as being akin to the “Swiss cheese effect.” The advisory was issued Aug. 11, when a fire hydrant was blown off a water line. 

“Sometimes problems happen when several small gaps all line up, what safety planners call the “Swiss cheese effect.” Imagine slices of Swiss cheese stacked together: each has holes, but normally they don’t line up. When they do, an issue can slip right through,” she stated on social media Aug. 12. That’s what happened with a water issue here in Carmel. A rare combination of circumstances lined up just right to cause a temporary disruption in our water system.”

As of the morning of Aug. 13, Carmel residents in areas west of College Avenue and U.S. 31 are under a boil water advisory.

“The good news: our utility team moved quickly to identify and fix the problem, and Citizens Water stepped in to help us keep water in the system so schools could stay open and we were prepared in case we needed water in a fire.

She wrote of a soon-to-come customer portal that will improve how the city communicates during situations such as this. 

On Aug. 12, Carmel Utilities reported that testing had been done and results would be available by 12:30 p.m. on Aug. 13. Carmel Utilities also stated that water pressure was not completely lost.

“Carmel Utilities never stopped disinfecting water during the event, and all water distributed into the system was tested and monitored as usual. A boil advisory must be issued per Indiana Department of Environmental Management when water main pressures drop below 20 psi. That was the case in this situation, but pressure in the water mains was not lost completely. It is when pressure is lost completely, bacteriological contaminants can enter the system. Please note, this was a boil-water advisory, not a boil-water order — therefore, the advisory precautions were followed (according to) IDEM standards.”

Carmel’s water distribution system has approximately 579 miles of water mains serving more than 32,000 customers. For more, visit carmelutilities.com.