Precautionary Boil Water Advisory Issued for Portions of Newport  Water System

Precautionary Boil Water Advisory Issued for Portions of Newport  Water System

The Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) is alerting a portion of customers in the City of Newport Public Water System to boil their water before consuming it.

 

A water main break in the area of West Main Road from Chase Road to Forest Avenue caused a loss of water pressure. A drop in pressure can allow bacteria to enter a water system.  

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Affected customers are being contacted directly by the City of Newport Public Water System. The notice posted by the City of Newport Public Water System includes a map of the affected area. This boil water advisory applies to approximately 2,000 customers.  

 

For customers on a boil water advisory, all water used for consumption should be boiled vigorously for at least one minute. This recommendation includes water used for drinking, cooking, making ice, brushing teeth, washing dishes, and food preparation. Alternatively, customers can use bottled water. Infants and young children should not be bathed in this water because they may swallow it accidentally. Anyone else using this water for bathing or showering should be careful to avoid swallowing the water. Additional guidance is available online.

 

Boiling kills bacteria and other organisms in the water. RIDOH is communicating guidance to restaurants and other food establishments in the area.  

 

Water main breaks can cause low, or no, water pressure. Low or no pressure increases the risk of contamination that can enter through cracks in the pipes or in areas without proper backflow preventers. Affected customers should continue to boil their water until City of Newport repairs the water main break, increases the chlorine in the system (within safe levels), flushes the pipes, and collects one day of bacteria samples at each routine sampling location, as long as the samples are absent of bacteria. An announcement will be made when the advisory is lifted. Water system administrators are currently alerting affected customers about this advisory and will alert customers when it is lifted. 

 

If the water becomes contaminated with human or animal waste, microbes in these wastes can cause short-term health effects, such as diarrhea, cramps, nausea, headaches, or other symptoms. They pose a special health risk for infants, young children, and people with severely compromised immune systems.