City reports water outages in Northwest Durham, says residents should boil water
Update: The boil water advisory was canceled Saturday afternoon after sampling showed water in the affected area was safe to drink.
Several thousand people in Durham face water outages and low pressure Friday morning, leading the city to warn residents to conserve water until the problems are fixed.
Public information officer Joe Lunne told The News & Observer about 5,500 homes and business are affected.
The Division of Water Resources issued the warning shortly before 11 a.m. Friday and said it would last until further notice.
“This office is strongly urging the water consumers to conserve water whenever possible,” the emailed notice said.
It applies to residents in the area of Interstate 85 west of the Durham Freeway, stretching north for several miles to Roxboro Road.
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The notice said inconsistent water pressure could allow for the water flow to reverse, opening it to contamination by bacteria.
Operational issues are to blame, Lunne said, adding that he was working to learn more.
The city said when water is restored, everyone affected should boil water for at least one minute if there’s any chance it could be used for drinking, as well as in preparing food, making ice, brushing teeth and washing dishes.
This story was originally published June 21, 2024 at 11:32 AM.
