Boil water advisories are issued as a precaution with a customer’s best interests in mind. During a boil water advisory, the water is okay for the customer to bath, wash clothes and other common needs. However, as a precaution water should be boiled for five minutes before eating, drinking or cooking. State law requires water utilities to issue boil water advisories to ensure high-quality water in the event water pressure drops below 20 pounds per square inch (PSI) in any part of the town’s distribution system. Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) oversees the boil water advisories. Water pressure drops in a distribution system can occur because of many reasons such as power outages, main breaks, mechanical failure and high demand. 

 

During the boil water advisory, customers will be notified by local news media outlets and postings on our website. Also during the advisory water lines are flushed and water samples taken from several sites within the affected area for chlorine, bacteriological and turbidity analysis. The boil water advisory will remain in effect until water quality tests confirm the water is safe for customer consumption (usually 24-36 hours from issuance). Whenever the pressure drops below 20 PSI, there is a possibility that microbiological contamination can occur which means materials from outside the water line gets into the main causing the contamination. Precautionary boil water advisories are to ensure public safety and it is a responsibility that Edinburgh Water Utility takes very seriously.