Boil water advisory issued for eight local schools and surrounding neighborhoods
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UPDATE:
The boil order has been lifted, as of 11:15 Friday morning, according to a news release from the Department of Environmental Quality.
“The samples collected were clean,” the release said. “It is no longer necessary to boil the water.”
ORIGINAL STORY:
IDAHO FALLS — A system-wide drop in water pressure in the Falls Water Co. distribution system occurred at about 11:30 a.m. on Thursday, according to a news release from Falls Water’s General Manager Scott Bruce. The drop in pressure, which reached levels below 20 psi, prompted a boil water advisory for eight schools in Bonneville Joint School District 93 and several surrounding neighborhoods.
The affected schools include Bridgewater Elementary, Summit Hills Elementary, Cloverdale Elementary, Discovery Elementary, Black Canyon Middle School, Thunder Ridge High School, Bonneville Online High School and the Technical Careers High School.
Other surrounding schools, like Bonneville High School, are on a different water system and were not impacted. If you are uncertain if you are in the Falls Water service area, refer to the image below.
Bruce told EastIdahoNews.com that the advisory was placed out of an abundance of caution. Until further notice, those within the impacted area are advised to boil water before drinking it or using it to prepare food. At this time, officials said no contaminants have been found in the water.
“We are collecting water samples to check the water quality,” Bruce said in a news release about the incident. He noted that the company expects to have the situation resolved within 24 hours.
According to a news release from District 93, classes will still be held on Friday, May 12.
“Students and employees may continue to use the restrooms and wash their hands with soap and water for at least twenty seconds, according to the boil water advisory,” says the news release. “If, as a parent, you do not feel that it is safe to send your child to school, please call the school to excuse them from attendance. Students will still be expected to make up any essential work that they may miss if they are not in attendance.”
The problem has been “isolated” and pressure to the system has been restored, Bruce said.