Update, 9:48 p.m., Sept. 27: As of 7 p.m. Friday, Public Works Commission customers are no longer under a boil water advisory. PWC lifted the advisory after consulting with the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality and conducting testing that confirmed the impacted water is safe to drink, the public utility system said in an update Friday.
“Discoloration is normal and the water is safe to drink, be sure to flush your water lines for a few minutes before using it,” the update states.
A high-pressure water main break at the P.O. Hoffer Water Treatment Facility led the city’s utility system to issue the boil water advisory Thursday. A water main break causes lower water pressure, which can lead to the possible introduction of bacteria into the water system from surrounding groundwater, PWC officials said. The advisory encouraged customers to boil water intended for human consumption as a precautionary measure.
While temporary repairs have been made by PWC crews, it may be another two to three days before the public utility system is able to confirm water is safe to drink, according to the advisory. Contrary to false reports on social media, customers will not have their water shut off by PWC, according to an update Thursday.
PWC plans to provide another update to customers late Friday. The cause of the incident is still undetermined.
In the meantime, customers are encouraged to follow the boil water advisory until it’s been officially lifted. Customers should:
- Boil water for one minute and cool before using. This is recommended for drinking water, and water used for cooking and activities such as making ice or brushing teeth. If a customer needs to use a dishwasher, the water is generally at a high enough temperature to kill any bacteria present, PWC officials said.
- Use bottled water. (PWC said it does not usually provide bottled water to customers in incidents of a boil water advisory.)
- Be cautious when bathing young children. While it’s safe to bathe in the water, PWC suggests giving children a sponge bath to prevent any possibility of swallowing the water.
- Let discolored or cloudy water run for a brief period to clear the water.
PWC officials were unable to provide an estimate of how many customers have been impacted by the boil water advisory as of Friday afternoon. The public utility system has upwards of 100,000 water customers, said Gavin MacRoberts, PWC’s communications manager.
“But the reality is, we serve 225,000 people in the area, because people shop in downtown Fayetteville, go to restaurants and places like that, [people] work in the community,” MacRoberts said. “So the impact is beyond just what our water customers are, and that’s why that was our top priority when we had the water main break, was to restore services to our customers as quickly as possible.”
The advisory applies to both commercial and residential customers, MacRoberts said. The map above depicts the PWC’s water distribution pressure zones; customers in the blue “High-Pressure zone” are impacted by the outage. Customers in Hope Mills, Spring Lake and Hoke County are affected by the outage, while those in Stedman and Fort Liberty are not, the advisory states.
PWC is testing the water for total coliform and fecal coliform contamination. Total coliform is a bacteria that is naturally occurring in the environment and soil; while generally not harmful, the bacteria can be used as an indicator that a water system is contaminated. Fecal coliform may come from animal or human waste. Drinking water contaminated by the bacteria can lead to symptoms including vomiting, diarrhea and fever. PWC recommends seeking medical attention if symptoms occur and persist after drinking water.
Customers will receive a notification from PWC when the boil advisory ends.
Visit faypwc.com/Boil-Water-Advisory/ for additional updates and public health information.
