Boil-water notice in effect for Gateways of the Americas

CALEXICO — A boil-water notice could be in place through Friday for the Gateways of the Americas service area east of here after two short electrical outages in two days killed power to the water treatment plant, county Public Works Director John Gay said.

Gateways is an industrial area marked by mostly warehouses, a gas station and at least one food vendor. Gay said there are only about 25 water meters in use in the area.

Imperial County Public Works and the Imperial County Public Health Department is advising against drinking tap water in the area after the power outages resulted in a loss of pressure to the water treatment plant for about 45 minutes Tuesday and again Wednesday morning.

Under the water order, it is advised that boiled tap water or bottled water be used for drinking and cooking purposes only as a safety precaution.

When the loss of pressure happens at the plant and pressure falls below 5 pounds per square inch there is the chance that bacteria could infiltrate the water supply. Water-quality testing must be done twice in a 24-hour period to rule that out. Because power was lost twice, the water order is likely to be extended a couple of days.

According to a press release from the county, alternatives to boiling water include using fresh, unscented household liquid bleach to disinfect the water. To do so, add eight drops of bleach (or 1/8 teaspoon) per gallon of clear water or 16 drops of bleach (or ¼ teaspoon) per gallon of cloudy water. Mix thoroughly and allow it to stand for 30 minutes before using.

Another alternative would be to use water disinfection tablets per the manufacturer’s instructions.

“We will inform you when tests show that water is safe to drink and you no longer need to boil your water,” according to the order.

Meanwhile, while Imperial Irrigation District troubleshoots the loss of power to the Gateways area, county Public Works has installed a temporary generator in case the outages continue.

Gay said the county also is looking into a permanent generator for the water treatment plant that would kick in automatically when power is lost.