Portion of square placed under boil advisory
TONY BROWN/DAILY FORUM
City workers excavate a water line on Market Street in downtown Maryville Monday morning. Repairs to a leaking line and replacement of an aging “T” fixture mean that a portion of downtown could remain under a boil advisory for the next couple of days.
Part of downtown Maryville was placed under a boil advisory Monday afternoon after a city maintenance crew fixed a leaking PVC waterline and replaced an aging cast iron “T” fitting designed to route water to a fire hydrant.
Public Works Director C.E. Goodall said Monday that the leak was discovered last week, and that affected businesses and apartment residents were notified that they would be without water most of that day and under a boil advisory until approximately midweek.
Goodall said that under a “worst case” scenario the advisory should be lifted sometime Wednesday afternoon. However, the warning will remain in effect until official notification is made by City Hall.
Affected businesses and residential apartments comprise those along Third Street between Main and Market and a couple of buildings, including the Molly’s and Burny’s taverns, on Market between Third and Fourth streets. The Nodaway County courthouse is part of the advisory area as well.
Such advisories are routine anytime water pipes are replaced so that water running through new lines and fixtures can be tested for contamination.
Maryville lacks facilities to conduct such tests, so water samples must be sent out of town, which usually means boil advisories remain in effect for a couple of days.
A boil advisory is a precautionary measure issued by the water utility to alert customers that there is a potential for compromised water quality. Under an advisory it is recommended that customers boil all water used in the preparation of food and beverage for consumption for three minutes.
An advisory is less serious than a boil order, which is generally issued when the existence of contamination is confirmed.
In Missouri, a public water system can issue boil advisories whenever there is reason to believe that a problem with drinking water may exist.
While the current advisory remains in effect, affected Maryville water customers are urged to take the following precautions:
• Boil water vigorously for three minutes prior to use. Use only water that has been boiled for drinking, diluting fruit juice, food preparation and brushing teeth. Let water cool sufficiently before drinking (approximately 110 degrees Fahrenheit).
• Dispose of ice cubes, and do not use ice from a household automatic ice-maker. Remake ice cubes with water that has been boiled.
• Disinfect dishes and other food contact surfaces by immersion for at least one minute in clean tap water that contains a teaspoon of unscented household bleach per gallon of water.
Water used for bathing does not generally need to be boiled. However, children should be supervised while bathing or using backyard pools and prevented from ingesting water.
Anyone with cuts or severe rashes may wish to consult their physician.
People with reduced immune function, infants under 6 months old and the elderly are most at risk when a boil advisory is in effect.
The human immune system can be weakened by treatment related to chemotherapy and organ transplants as well as diseases such as HIV/AIDS. Those affected by these conditions should consult their physician.
Buying bottled water can be a feasible alternative to boiling drinking water. Bottled water operations are routinely inspected, and samples are analyzed by state health agencies. This offers a safe source of water for drinking, cooking and brushing teeth.
Additional information is available at http://dnr.mo.gov/env/wpp/boil/ or by calling the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Safe Drinking Water hotline at 800.426.4791.
Anyone with questions or concerns can call Goodall’s office at 660.562.8012.
