FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Mike McGill
(910) 332-6704After Hours: (910) 622-8472
Mike.McGill@cfpua.org communications@cfpua.org
WILMINGTON, NC, January 10, 2014: The Cape Fear Public Utility Authority (CFPUA) HAS LIFTED a precautionary boil water advisory (PBWA) that was issued for customers living, and conducting business, on a portion of Front Street between Market and Chestnut Streets in downtown Wilmington. The PBWA was issued following a water main break that occurred Wednesday evening, affecting service for the described area. The break involved a failed fire line connection and CFPUA crews worked through the night to restore service before Thursday morning’s commute.
This boil water advisory was issued as a precaution because periods of low or no pressure increase the potential for the introduction of bacteria into the water system. It was in effect until water quality testing occurred and confirmed there was no contamination. The lifting of the advisory is occurring in one or more of the following ways: hand-delivered announcement, a post on www.cfpua.org, a recorded phone message at 332-6500, a phone notification from New Hanover County’s emergency alert system and/or a press release to area media outlets.
A precautionary boil water advisory is a public health announcement. When issued, the public should assume there is an elevated risk of their water being unsafe to drink. Advisories can be issued after: incidents that compromise the distribution system (ex. water main break); failure of/substantial interruption in water treatment processes that result in increased turbidity levels or particle counts; mechanical or equipment failure; violations of the total coliform rule or the turbidity standard of the surface water treatment rule; or a natural disaster. www.cdc.gov/healthywater/drinking.
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Cape Fear Public Utility Authority (CFPUA) was formed by the City of Wilmington and New Hanover County to combine their water and sewer operations. It began operations on July 1, 2008. Today, the Authority serves more than 65,000 water customer accounts and more than 63,000 wastewater customer accounts. It oversees more than 1,000 miles of water distribution mains and nearly 1,000 miles of sewer mains. For more information, visit www.cfpua.org or contact CFPUA’s Communications staff at communications@cfpua.org.