Residents ordered to boil tap water
Cold temperatures have damaged underground pipes and other water system equipment in Memphis, causing a widespread drop in water pressure, raising the risk of bacterial contamination of the water, and leading Memphis Light, Gas & Water to issue a highly unusual boil advisory.
That means customers should boil water from the tap before they can use it for drinking or cooking, spokesperson Gale Jones Carson said Thursday.
She said there is no evidence that this bacterial contamination has happened yet, but that the utility is issuing the advisory as a precaution.
“Children, seniors and persons with weakened immune systems are particularly vulnerable to harmful bacteria,” she said.
MLGW recommends people boil any water from the tap before uses such as drinking it or using it for brushing their teeth.
That means bringing the water to a full, rolling boil and keeping it boiling for at least three minutes, she said. People can also buy bottled water.
The boil advisory impacts all MLGW customers — that's 260,000 in all, including businesses as well as households representing multiple people.
The situation represents a significant moment in the history of MLGW, which prides itself on delivering tasty water from an aquifer located deep underground.
The extreme cold temperatures are causing multiple breaks in underground pipes known as water mains.
“Since Saturday, we have repaired 48 broken mains that we are aware of,” Carson said. “And we currently are working on five right now.”
Those breaks are coming in day and night, said Nick Newman, the utility's vice president of engineering and operations for electric, gas and water.
In addition, the utility has cut off
water to about 250 customers whose pipes leading to the home or business have broken, in some cases leading to flooding inside, he said.
The cold has also frozen some equipment that’s used to pump water from underground, said. All of these factors: the broken water mains, the burst pipes at customer locations, and the frozen pumping equipment, have reduced the water in the system and reduced the water pressure, he said.
“I’ve been employed here for 32 years. And we’ve been through some regional criss — say maybe you have an issue with one of our pumping stations or two of our pumping stations. This is the worst incident we’ve had of the entire system having a problem,” he said.
He said this is the first time the system has issued a boil advisory.
Here’s why low pressure can increase the possibility of contamination
Any system of pipes can have leaks and gaps. Under normal conditions, high water pressure in a pipe system helps keep water from the outside of the pipes from flowing in.
But if the pressure in the pipe system drops too low, water can flow in from the outside.
“Loss of pressure in a drinking water distribution system may cause a net movement of water from outside the pipe to the inside through cracks, breaks, or joints in the distribution system,” a web site published by the Environmental
Protection Agency says.
“. . . Such system failures carry a high potential for fecal contamination or other disease-causing organisms to enter a distribution system and can cause serious health concerns for people who drink the contaminated water.”
Utility is asking for water conservation
MLGW is also asking people to conserve water, for instance, by taking shorter showers and not doing laundry.
Thus far, the utility’s calls for water conservation have not resulted in decreased usage, utility officials said.
Advisory does not apply to Bartlett, Collierville, Germantown or Millington
Newman confirmed that the advisory does not apply to Bartlett, Collierville, Germantown and Millington. The municipalities have systems independent from MLGW.
The advisory was issued following days of below-freezing temperatures that have forced residents to leave their faucets dripping in order to prevent them from freezing and subsequently bursting.
Detailed advice from the CDC
The Centers for Disease Control has issued detailed advice on what to do during a boil water advisory. Here are their recommendations:
• Use bottled or boiled water for drinking, and to prepare and cook food.
• If bottled water is not available, bring water to a full rolling boil for 1 minute then allow it to cool before use. (MLGW is saying 3 minutes.)
• Boil tap water even if it is filtered. MLGW likewise says that you need to boil water even if it’s been filtered.
• Brush teeth with boiled or bottled water. Do not use untreated tap water.
• Do not use water from any appliance connected to your water line, such as ice and water from a refrigerator.
• Breastfeeding is the best infant feeding option. If you formula feed your child, provide ready-to-use formula, if available.
• In many situations, you can use tap water and soap to wash hands, according to the CDC. (Carson from MLGW recommended boiling water even for washing hands.)
• Be careful not to swallow any water when bathing or showering.
• Use caution when bathing babies and young children. Consider giving them a sponge bath to reduce the chance of them swallowing water.
• If possible, use disposable plates, cups, and utensils during a boil water advisory.
• Household dishwashers generally are safe to use if the water reaches a final rinse temperature of at least 150 degrees Fahrenheit (65.55°Celsius), or if the dishwater has a sanitizing cycle.
• Sterilize all baby bottles. To wash dishes by hand, Wash and rinse the dishes as you normally would using hot water. In a separate basin, add 1 teaspoon of unscented household liquid bleach for each gallon of warm water. Soak the rinsed dishes in the water for at least one minute. Let the dishes air dry completely before using again.
• It is safe to wash clothes as usual, the CDC says. Note that in Memphis, local officials have asked people to consider delaying laundry to conserve water.
• Use bottled water, boiled water, or water that has been disinfected with bleach to clean washable toys and surfaces.
• Pets can get sick by some of the same germs as people or spread germs to people. Provide bottled or boiled water after it has been cooled for pets to use.
• You can use tap water for household plants and gardens.
More water main breaks expected
More breaks in underground pipes are expected in coming days. Newman said that’s because most of the breaks are caused by freezing and thawing of ground around the pipe. As temperatures rise, the thawing ground shifts, and that can lead to a break in the pipe, he said.
Additionally, pipes that lead into businesses and homes can freeze and burst, and the leak is discovered only when the water thaws out, he said.
Avoiding frozen pipes
To avoid frozen pipes at a home or business, leave a faucet dripping or leave the water flowing very slowly.
The MLGW officials acknowledged this might appear to contradict the message to conserve water — but at the same time, it can prevent a pipe break that could waste a large amount of water.
Micaela Watts is a reporter with The Commercial Appeal. She can be reached at micaela.watts@commercialappeal.com.
Investigative reporter Daniel Connolly welcomes tips and comments from the public. Reach him at 529-5296, daniel.connolly@commercialappeal.com.