Local News
BOIL WATER NOTICE Agency Water System
Oct
Loss of pressure in the Agency Water System
Thursday, October 24, 2019
BOIL YOUR WATER THREE MINUTES BEFORE USING
Bring tap water to a rolling boil, boil for three minutes, and cool before using. Or use bottled water certified for sale by the Oregon State Department of Health. Boiled or bottled water should be used for drinking, making ice, washing dishes, brushing teeth, and preparing food until further notice.
This Boil Water Notice applies to all residences and businesses in the Warm Springs Agency area.
The Water and Wastewater Division of the Public Utilities Branch, working alongside the contractor GELCO, are finishing the replacement and upgrade of the pressure reducing valves on the agency water system main lines this week. Work has been completed at the George Street pressure reducing valve vault, the Kah-Nee-Ta vault and work is scheduled to be completed late Thursday (10/24/19) at the South East vault.
Although Public Utilities staff worked to fill Reservoirs, to minimize impact to the community, the Kah-Nee-Ta Tank ran out of water on Tuesday (10/22/19) and the West Hills Tank ran out of water Wednesday (10/23/19).
When water mains lose pressure it increases the chance that untreated water and harmful microbes can enter your water.
Per established protocol, a boil water notice has been issued for all of the agency area water system. The boil water notice is a precautionary measure to provide safe drinking water for all those affected. The water department will be required to submit two rounds of BacT testing and chlorine residual values to EPA in order to have the notice lifted. It is anticipated the notice won’t be lifted until next Wednesday, October 30th at the earliest as each round of BacT testing requires a minimum 24 hour incubation time to see if any unwanted contaminants are present or not.
Drinking Water Distribution is being coordinated by Warm Springs Emergency Management. The distribution center is open at the Old Warm Springs Elementary Library weekdays 7am – 6pm and weekends 10am – 3pm until the Boil Water Notice is lifted. 30 Warm Springs Elders had water delivered to their homes on Thursday (10/24/19).
As a reminder, the water is still safe to use for flushing toilets and showering and can be consumed if folks choose to boil the water as directed in the notice. 15 Portable Toilets were placed at the Community Center Parking Lot Thursday evening for use by folks without running water.
Warm Springs Early CHildhood Education sent families a MEMO Thursday regarding limited programming over the next week or so. Children under 3 and School Age Youth will not be able to attend ECE until the boil water order is lifted.
