Lower Coast Algiers residents were advised not to drink tap water Friday after vehicle struck a fire hydrant, reducing water pressure in the area.
A boil water notice remained in effect at 6:11 p.m., almost six hours after the New Orleans Sewerage & Water Board posted it. The agency said it might take 24 hours to obtain results of water quality tests.
The S&WB issues boil water advisories in areas where pressure drops below 20 pounds per square inch. Pressure reductions in pipes could allow bacteriological contaminants to enter.
Healthy adults are cautioned that:
- When washing hands, they may use soap and tap water, dry hands, then apply hand sanitizer. It’s safer to wash with bottled or boiled water.
- When showering or bathing, they should be careful not to swallow any water. Infants, young children and disabled persons should be supervised to ensure water is not ingested. Residents with open wounds, chronic illness or weakened immune systems should use boiled or bottled water to bathe.
To boil water, bring it to a rolling boil in a clean container for a full minute. If the water has a flat taste afterward, shake it in a bottle or pour it from one container to another.