I heard you guys had a massive water main break to the tune of 8,000,000 gallons per hour dumping into the Charles River. I also heard your backup water supply was from an untreated reservoir.
At last glance, it appears a valve has stemmed the water. Are you guys OK?
Another question: since they were feeding untreated water into the system that needed boiling before it can be drunk, once regular treated water service is resoted, how long do you have to wait to “clear the pipes” until the water is safe to drink again without boiling?
Unfortunately even south of Boston here in Quincy we are under the boil order. We just heard the news a few hours ago and ran out to Hannaford to grab some gallons.
We have lots of seltzers to drink and about 5 gallons for the pets and teeth brushing and such. It’s a pain, but hopefully the issue is fixed soon. I am curious how long it will take to get safe water back in the pipes.
I’d guess that you’ll have to boil water for a week or less. It really depends upon how much water is used, and how much they are bleeding out of the system. In a case like this, most water system authorities would be opening hydrants in an effort to flush out the system. They also will probably be taking water samples daily. They will keep on flushing and testing until they get enough “good” samples back.
I was in the supermarket picking up some quick groceries before dinner when I noticed that everybody else’s carts were filled to the brim with crates of bottled water.
“Are they having a water sale or something?” I asked the next person in line. He old me about the water main break, and that he found out about it from a phomne call. I’d been cleaning the house all day with the TV off, so I was out of the loop. As soon as I paid, I went to get water.
There were only a few six-packs of water available. But down the road, another store had cases. I picked up a couple, and a gallon jug elsewhere. besides, we have most of a case in the garage.
Right now we’re boiling water as well. Word is that it’ll take some days to get this break repaired.
What’s hilarious is that on the news this morning, and on the front page of the Boston Globe, was a story about how the town of Concord has just banned sales of bottled water. talk about bad timing… http://www.boston.com/lifestyle/green/articles/2010/05/01/concord_fires_first_shot_in_water_battle/
I had to boil the water for the rigatoni tonight–oh, wait, it’s always been that way. And I may have to pick up some beer tomorrow. I have no choice; this is an emergency!
I wasn’t trying to imply that this was some sort of unsurvivable event (especially given you plucky new englanders! You actually have a winter!), but as I was writing the OP, I came across the story that the leak had already been stemmed.
Given 8,000,000 gallons of water per day, a city of millions of people, a second-rate baseball organization and the recent oil spill…I was a little worried about you guys. You are the oldest colonies and everything…
More or less the same with me, except for the cleaning part.
I went to a restaurant at around 6, and my beverage options were limited. Good old beer. I then went to a CVS, and it looked like a war zone. Most people were picking up a case of water. But a few people were in true panic mode. One woman filled two shopping carts with five cases each. She had a little problen getting out of the line, as a couple of cases kept falling out. And that blocked the rest of us from getting out.
I’m a little germ-phobic, so I’m kind of freaking out a little about the thought of taking a shower in this non-potable water. I guess as long as I keep it out of my eyes and mouth, it’s okay?
The water supply may be fixed by then but remember it will take several days longer to finish flushing out all the bird shit and dead squirrels from the reservoirs they had to use as fill in’s.
