Fort Lauderdale boil-water order lifted in Las Olas Isles

FORT LAUDERDALE – Good news for Las Olas Isles: The boil-water order issued six days ago was lifted shortly after 1 p.m. Tuesday.

Fort Lauderdale, in consultation with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, lifted the precautionary boil water notice after getting clear water test results for two consecutive days.

The boil-water order affected 1,900 customers on the following streets: South Gordon Road, Hendricks Isle; Isle of Venice, Fiesta Way, Nurmi Drive, Mola Avenue, Isle of Capri, Bontona Avenue, Coconut Isle, Lido Drive, San Marco Drive, Coral Way and Royal Plaza Drive.

Bacteriological surveys show the water is safe to drink and can be used for cooking, making ice, brushing teeth and washing dishes, city spokesman Chaz Adams said.

But you might want to turn on the faucets and let the water flow for at least one minute to flush out the pipes. And make sure to toss any ice in your freezer.

“While there are no mandatory requirements once the boil-water order has been lifted, it’s a good practice for neighbors to flush their household pipes prior to drinking or cooking with tap water,” Adams said. “Flushing simply means letting cold water run through the pipes for a minimum of one minute before using the water. Neighbors should also dispose of any ice made while the precautionary boil-water notice was in effect.”

Crews made repairs to a 6-inch water main in the Las Olas Isles area late Thursday, after the order went into effect. The break was the result of a faulty valve, Adams said at the time. No construction or digging was taking place.

Commissioner Steve Glassman, whose district includes Las Olas Isles, has been fielding dozens of calls since the boil-water order went into effect.

The Las Olas Isles neighborhood is one of Fort Lauderdale’s most vulnerable when it comes the emergency repairs to city pipes. Not too long ago, the area was under a boil-water order for more than a week, from July 25 through Aug. 5.

“People ask me why this keeps happening,” Glassman said. “I tell them it’s because the system has been neglected for years and years. The valve was totally corroded. That didn’t happen just yesterday. That’s from 30 years of neglect.”

Residents seem to be growing weary of the boilwater orders, wondering when the next one will come, he said.

“I think there is a level of frustration but it’s a manageable frustration because they know we’re addressing this,” Glassman said. “We are allocating resources and manpower toward a solution. We are scurrying to make up for lost time.”

To sign up for Code Red alerts, go to www.fortlauderdale.gov/codered.

For questions, call the 24-Hour Neighbor Call Center at 954-828-8000.