Customers Should Boil Drinking Water for Next 72 Hours or Until Advisory Is Lifted
INDIANAPOLIS – Citizens Energy Group has issued a precautionary boil water advisory (PWSID# IN 5249004) for customers in an area of 86th Street and Lafayette Road due to a water main break near that area that occurred earlier today. While water pressure has been restored to the affected area, this precautionary boil water advisory is being issued because water pressures dropped below 20 pounds per square inch (psi) for some customers.
The Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) has established drinking water standards for the State of Indiana that all public water system providers and managers must adhere to. The Citizens water distribution system serving the Indianapolis area is making public notification for customers to boil their water before using for drinking or cooking for the next 72 hours or until the advisory is lifted. Answers to FAQs can be found here.
What Area Is Impacted?
All Citizens customers in the following area should boil their water until this advisory is lifted:
- Northern Bound: Interstate-865
- Southern Bound: 86th Street. The boil water advisory also includes the Walden Trace neighborhood and Fishback Creek Public Academy
- Eastern Bound: Cooper Road in Marion County (CR 850 East in Boone County)
- Western Bound: Interstate-65
Additional area in Boone County:
One additional portion in Boone County which is INCLUDED in the precautionary boil area is bounded by Indianapolis Road to the east, County Road 600 E to the west, County Road 750 S to the north, and County Road 800 S to the south. This includes the Eagles Nest neighborhood.
What Happened?
Citizens routinely monitors the drinking water distribution system. A water main break occurred just east of 86th Street and Lafayette Road earlier this morning that resulted in the water pressure dropping below 20 psi.
What Should Customers Do?
Do not consume the water without boiling it first. Bring all water to a boil, let it boil for three minutes, and let it cool before using, or use bottled water. Boiled or bottled water should be used for drinking, making ice, brushing teeth, washing dishes and food preparation. Boiling kills bacteria and other organisms that could be present in the water. Water can be used for showering, cleaning and flushing without boiling. For customers who live in the area where the precautionary boil water advisory now applies and who may have consumed the water earlier today, Citizens wants to stress that this is a precautionary boil water advisory.
If you consumed the water prior to the release of the advisory, we have no indications that your water quality was unsafe. However, it is important to boil water used for consumption until this precautionary boil water advisory is lifted. The water quality being produced by Citizens has remained safe during the event. However, the widespread loss of pressure has resulted in Citizens taking additional precautions to verify water quality in the distribution system was not adversely affected.
People with severely compromised immune systems, infants and elderly individuals may be at increased risk. These people should seek advice about drinking water from their health care providers. General guidelines are available from Environmental Protection Agency’s Safe Drinking Water Hotline at (800) 426-4791.
What Is Being Done?
Water service has been restored and repairs to the drinking water distribution system are underway. Customers are advised to boil their water until Citizens lifts this precautionary boil water advisory.
For more information, please contact our Contact Center at (317) 924-3311 or visit www.citizensenergygroup.com.
Please share this information with all other people who drink this water, particularly those who may not have received this notice directly. You can do so by posting this notice in a public place or distributing copies by hand.
About Citizens Energy Group
Citizens Energy Group provides safe and reliable utility services to about 900,000 people in the Indianapolis area. Citizens operates its utilities for the benefit of customers and the community.
Media Contact Information
Ben Easley
Phone: 317-519-1515
Email: media@citizensenergygroup.com