ASHLAND — Ashland Area Water Authority customers are being advised to use boiled or bottled water following a water main break near the authority’s water storage tank and treatment plant.
According to a drinking water warning issued on , the break caused a loss of positive water pressure and prompted a system-wide advisory for authority customers.
A loss of water pressure can allow contamination to enter the distribution system through back-pressure or back-siphonage, increasing the possibility that the water could contain disease-causing organisms. The authority described the advisory as a precautionary measure.
What Ashland Water Customers Should Do
Do not drink the water without boiling it first. Bring water to a rolling boil, continue boiling it for one minute, and allow it to cool before use. Bottled water may be used instead.
Customers should use boiled or bottled water for:
- Drinking
- Making ice
- Washing dishes
- Brushing teeth
- Preparing food
These precautions should remain in place until the Ashland Area Water Authority announces that boiling water is no longer necessary.
Potential Health Risks
The warning explains that inadequately treated water may contain bacteria, viruses and parasites that can cause nausea, cramps, diarrhea and associated headaches. Those symptoms may also have other causes.
Anyone experiencing persistent symptoms should seek medical advice.
Guardians of infants and young children, pregnant women, some older adults and people with severely compromised immune systems should consult their health care providers about drinking the water.
When the Boil Water Advisory Will Be Lifted
The authority said customers will be notified after corrective actions are completed and testing confirms that boiling water is no longer necessary.
Customers should continue following the boil-water precautions until an official notice lifting the advisory is issued.
General information about reducing the risk of infection from microbes in drinking water is available through the EPA Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 1-800-426-4791.