Parts of Potosi are under a mandatory boil order after a water main broke Friday, dropping pressure in a small pocket of town and prompting officials to move fast. The advisory covers an area around High Street near North Missouri, where city crews were called out to track down, isolate, and fix the damaged line. Until the system gets the all-clear, residents in that zone are being told not to drink straight from the tap and to stick with boiled or bottled water. The city says the order will remain in place for at least 48 hours while water samples are tested.
According to KMOV, the City of Potosi issued the mandatory notice Friday once crews located the break and began repair work. KMOV reports that customers in the affected area should either boil water or use bottled water for anything they would normally swallow while flushing and testing are underway. City officials told the station they will alert residents once laboratory tests confirm that the water is safe again.
What residents should do
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises that during a boil advisory, people should bring clear water to a rolling boil for at least one minute, or three minutes at higher elevations, before using it for drinking or preparing food, based on CDC guidance. If bottled water is on hand, the agency recommends using it for drinking and making ice, and steering clear of water from appliances hooked to the line, such as ice makers and automatic coffee machines. The CDC also recommends tossing out any ice made since the break and using boiled or bottled water for infant formula and medical uses.
Why a break triggers a boil order
When a water main breaks and pressure drops, outside contaminants like dirt and bacteria can be pulled into the distribution system, which is why utilities and health officials typically issue boil orders after these kinds of incidents. The Missouri Department of Natural Resources posts current boil-order information and notes that advisories stay in effect until disinfectant levels and bacteriological tests confirm the water is safe. Those test results are what ultimately allow officials to lift the advisory and tell customers they can go back to using tap water as usual.
Local response and next steps
City crews have been working at the scene to repair the damaged main and flush surrounding lines to restore pressure and proper disinfectant levels. The city told KMOV that the boil order will stay in place for at least 48 hours while samples are tested, and that residents will be notified once those tests clear the system. Until then, people in the affected area should continue boiling water before using it for drinking or cooking, throw out any ice made since the break, and rely on bottled water for baby formula and other medical needs.
Residents looking for the latest word on the situation should keep an eye on official City of Potosi announcements and local news outlets while the advisory remains active.
