What is a Boil Water Advisory?
Under a boil-water advisory (BWA), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that water be brought to a rolling boil for one to three minutes before it is consumed in order to kill protozoa, bacteria and viruses.
BWAs are typically issued as a precaution when a distribution system has a loss of system pressure, or when there is an actual break in a water main, or when monitoring of water being served to consumers detects Escherichia coli or other microbiological indicators of contamination. While loss of pressure does not necessarily mean the water has been contaminated, it does mean that pathogens may be able to enter the piped-water system and thus be carried to consumers. In the United States, this has been defined as a drop below 20 pounds per square inch (140 kPa).
Notification begins immediately when the Water Superintendent has assessed that there is a need for a boil order advisory. The financial clerk initiates the emergency text and email alert system, posting on the website, and contacting media outlets of local radio and television stations. Restaurants in the affected areas are notified via personal visits and phone calls by a designated board member. Yard signs are placed in high traffic areas.
