MINBURN — The city of Minburn issued a boil order Thursday after a broken water main caused the city water tower to drain, leading to a loss of water pressure.
“The water is back on, but we are under a boil advisory until further notice,” Minburn City Clerk Kris Fitch said Thursday.
All Minburn residents should boil water until tests show that water is free from bacterial contamination and safe to drink.
Fitch said the break occurred along U.S. Highway 169.
“We got the water break repaired to day,” she said. “Since there was a break in the line and no pressure, we had to shut the water off, and then we have to have the boil advisory.”
Residents should let water boil for one minute and cool before using. They should use boiled or bottled water for drinking, making ice, brushing teeth and food preparation until further notice. Boiling kills bacteria and other organisms in the water. Untreated water can be used for bathing and similar purposes.
Residents should not use unboiled tap water for drinking until the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) or the city of Minburn notify them the water is safe to drink and the boil advisory is lifted.
Once the broken main was repaired Thursday, the city flushed the water lines, and Minburn Public Works Director Mitch Johnson took water samples for bacterial testing by the DNR. Fitch said the test results should be back and the boil order lifted by early next week.
“It might hopefully be Monday,” she said, “but it might be Tuesday depending on how long it takes them to do the tests.”
Minburn buys its water from the Xenia Rural Water District but is responsible for maintaining its own service lines.
“We own the lines in town,” Fitch said. “They serve the water but once it hits Minburn, it’s pretty much ours. Part of the town is served by both Xenia and the water tower, and the water tower is served by Xenia, too. It just helps get pressure to the father side of town. Some of us had water this morning but when the water tower ran out of water, we had nothing.”
For more information, call the EPA Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 800-426-4791 for general guidelines on ways to reduce risks of infection.
