Water outage: Dayton and Montgomery County cancel boil advisories

WATCH press conference from City of Dayton officials here

UPDATE @ 3:58 p.m.: 

A Wednesday water outage say the City of Dayton lose 2.52 million gallons of water in 10 minutes.

During a Friday afternoon press conference, City Manager Shelley Dickstein said that the city is unable to say what caused the break until river levels drop and it can be accessed better.

It is not clear how much the water needs to recede for crews to access the break.

Because the city is unable to access the break , it determine the severity of the break, how much it will cost to fix it or if it will need to contract the work.

The pipe that broke was installed in 1991 and made of concrete.

The city was able to restabilize the water system 14 hours after the break.

Some residents may see milky or rusty water due to oxygen in the water, not bacteria, Dickstein said. It could be a few days before the coloring dissipates.

UPDATE @ 1:20 p.m.:

Montgomery County has cancelled their boil advisory. County water customers no longer need to boil their water prior to consumption.

All water samples collected by the county as of 12:40 p.m. did not have bacteria.

Public Health Dayton and Montgomery County recommended that customers run tap water for at least three minutes to remove air bubbles, mineral build up or lead that could have gotten into pipes.

Any customers with concerns should call 937-781-2688.

UPDATE @ 10:30 a.m.:

Montgomery County confirmed that parts of the county are still under a boil advisory shortly after the City of Dayton announced that it dropped the advisory.

>> Q&A: Everything you need to know about Dayton’s water outage

County customers still under the boil advisory are in the following areas:

• Harrison Twp.
• Jefferson Twp.
• Clayton
• Riverside
• Butler Twp.
• Trotwood

The Dayton Foodbank will serve as the county’s bottled water distribution site from 1 to 4 p.m. for those affected by the boil advisory.

Residents should run tap water for at least three minutes and then boil for at least one minute before consuming.

The water is safe for bathing and showering and does not need to be boiled beforehand, according to the county.

Any restaurants with questions about operating should contact Public Health Dayton and Montgomery County at 937-225-4460.

County residents can visit www.mcohio.org/water or call 937-781-2688 to find out if you are under a boil advisory.

UPDATE @ 10:03 a.m.:

The city of Dayton has canceled the boil advisory for city residents.  Montgomery County customers are still under the boil advisory.

>> What to do during a water boil advisory

“As of 6:30 a.m. today, all water samples collected by the City of Dayton were absent of bacteria,” the city said in a statement.

City customers are advised to do the following before using tap water:

• If water has not been used for several hours, run the tap until there is a noticeable temperature drop.
• Run water for 30 seconds to three minutes before using it for drinking and cooking. This helps flush water that may have contained lead that may have leached from plumbing.
• Clean your faucet aerator. Flushing water lines includes interior and exterior faucets, showers, water and ice dispensers.

UPDATE @ 4:35 p.m.:

Water customers are no longer asked to reduce consumption following the widespread water outage, however, the water boil advisory remains in effect for 75,000 people.

>> What to do if you drank the water

Water service has returned to normal capacity and distribution plants are pumping at full capacity, with the leak isolated from the system, according to the city of Dayton.

Customers may experience rusty, muddy, cloudy or milky water due to air in the system, which should dissipate over the next few days.

There are about 75,000 people still under a boil advisory. Run water for at least three minutes and then boil for at least one minute before consumption.

Dayton water customers may call 333-4905 to report any issues with water pressure; Montgomery County customers may call 781-2688.

EARLIER

Officials have identified that the leak that caused a widespread water outage and boil advisory in Montgomery County, as well as 100 million gallons of water to be wasted Wednesday, was located in pipes under the Great Miami River.

• Water main break in the Great Miami River isolated around 1:30 a.m.
• Transmission line can't be repaired until river levels drops
• County hopes to lift entire boil advisory on Saturday

“We identified the location of the leak at approximately 1:30 a.m.”, said Dayton City Manager Shelly Dickstein.

Dickstein says they do not want to be more specific about where the break in the line is because they do not want specify where large infrastructure is located, for safety reasons and to avoid potential vandalism.

Montgomery County officials estimated 15,000 to 20,000 of its customers were under the mandatory boil advisory, with the City of Dayton saying 75,000 customers were under the advisory.

Heidi Griesmer, spokeswoman for the Ohio EPA, said state environmental officials have been providing oversight and technical assistance to the city of Dayton and making sure Ohio drinking water regulations are followed.

The incident has been isolated and contained, only impacting customers in those affected areas.

>> Montgomery County water outage: Where can you get bottled water?

The remainder of the water system should be back on in approximately eight hours, officials say. That would estimate around 5 or 6 p.m.

“Customers may experience rusty, cloudy, or murky water due to air trapped in the system, but this should dissipate over 5 to 7 business days”, Dickstein said.

When there is any unanticipated change or disruption to the water service system, it is nationally recognized best practice to issue a boil advisory, said Jeff Cooper, Montgomery County Health Commissioner.

The city issued a Boil Water Advisory notice for those who receive city and county water in Montgomery County, but that advisory has been revised.

>> Which local restaurants are affected by the water advisory on this Valentine’s Day?

A Boil Water Advisory is still in place for specific areas, primarily high-pressure zones, that are impacted. The city published a map showing those affected areas.

“Keep in mind that this is not a system-wide Montgomery County Boil Advisory. We have a very targeted area”, said Michael Colbert, Montgomery County Administrator.

The advisory is expected to be lifted by the end of the day Friday.

Customers who receive county and city water are still advised to conserve water while the system is stabilizing.

“To be precautious of the health of our population an advisory is issued, as there can be contamination of the water supply”, said Cooper. “We strongly encourage all individuals affected to adhere to the boil advisory until it’s lifted, and if you’re concerned, always adhere to professional recommendation”.

Hazards and emergencies are pre-planned, and cooperation among agencies are important.

“This shows that when the county and city work together, we can overcome tough issues”, Colbert said.

Residents can report low water pressure or call the city for overall water outage concerns at 937-333-4905.

UPDATE@6:30 a.m.: The city of Dayton held a press conference this morning to officially announce that they've located the source of the largest water outage in the city's history.

Michael Powell, the water department’s director, said crews isolated the leak in the Great Miami River, although he wouldn’t provide specifics. No customers will be impacted as crews work to repair the leak, he said.

At 5:30 a.m., he said rebuilding water pressure could take eight hours. Customers could see discolored, milky-looking water over the next few days.

The city will continue testing the water for the next 24-48 hours to ensure that it’s safe for customers. Meanwhile,  customers should continue boiling their water until the boil advisory is lifted, Powell said, urging residents to continue conserving water until the system is back at full capacity.

Once the leak is repaired, the city will conduct an investigation to determine what caused the damage, Powell said.

INITIAL STORY: A massive water outage that has affected more than 400,000 people in the city of Dayton and throughout Montgomery County appears to be coming to an end.

The city of Dayton water treatment plants are now pumping at full capacity and returning water to the system in impacted areas, officials said in a press release early Thursday morning. However, the system will not be up to full capacity for up to eight hours.

RELATED: Dayton water outage: Area hospitals respond

In an effort to allow the system to fully stabilize, officials are asking customers to continue conserving water until they receive the notice to resume normal use, the release said.

In addition, customers should continue to observe the boil advisory in impacted areas. Customers who are unsure if their water was impacted should call dispatch at 937-333-4905 for assistance.

RELATED: Dayton water outage: County to distribute water, asks state for help

The outage started late Wednesday afternoon, and forced officials to issue a boil water advisory. Early Thursday morning officials said they located the leak that triggered the outage, but decline to give a location.

Here’s what we know:

• Cause believed to be a loss of pressure from a significant line
• Leak has been located, though actual location is unconfirmed
• County has asked the state for assistance with the water shortage

The leak that led to the outage has been located, and crews will be working to repair it throughout the night, officials said. The location of the leak has not been disclosed, but is expected to be announced at a press conference this morning.

The outage, which was first reported Wednesday afternoon, has affected 400,000 customers who use the Dayton water system. The city is also losing millions of gallons of water in its distribution system as a result of the issue.

A county spokeswoman said it is believed to be a loss of pressure from a significant line that is causing the widespread water outage.

It is highly possible due to the amount of water being lost, that the break and/or leak is at a river crossing, said Mayor Nan Whaley in a Facebook post.

“Crews have been working in the field, checking water valves along major distribution lines at river crossings to determine the break or leak’s location”, according to a statement from Bryan Taulbee, public affairs specialist with the city of Dayton.

RELATED: Dayton water outage: City water director says issue is system-wide

The city’s system has three pressure zones: super high, high and low. The part of the system affected is the high pressure zone, which includes the northeast, northwest, southeast city of Dayton and upper southeast part of the county system.

The Dayton Water Department issued a boil advisory for all customers on the city and county water system.

“Residents should boil water for at least 30 seconds and continue to conserve”, said Taulbee.

Water Crisis: What if you drank the water? Water Crisis: Dayton Children's Press Conference

RELATED: What to do during a water boil advisory

Wright-Patterson Air Force Base alerted residents of The Prairies housing area that they are also under the water boil advisory, and should boil water for at least 30 seconds before consuming.

RELATED: Part of Greene County in Kitridge Road area under boil advisory

Cities with their own water systems are not affected by the precautionary boil water advisory. Some include: Oakwood, Huber heights, Vandalia, Englewood, Miamisburg and West Carrollton.

RELATED: Not all Montgomery County residents under a boil advisory

Montgomery County is working on a plan to set up water distribution centers and is asking the state for help with the water outage. The Montgomery County Emergency Management has been working on a strategy to get drinking water to the public, which is expected to be running in less than 12 hours, administrator Michael Colbert said in an interview with News Center 7 anchors James Brown and Kate Bartley.

Several schools throughout Montgomery County will be closed Thursday as a result of the issue.

RELATED: Some schools close for Thursday amid water issues

Restaurants and businesses also are affected, including some along Miller Lane in Butler Twp., the Hollywood Gaming at Dayton Raceway, and others.

Restaurants that are under a boil water advisory can open for Valentine’s Day, but must follow the order, according to local health officials.

The county Regional Dispatch Center is being flooded with calls about the issue and Montgomery County Sheriff Rob Streck urged residents to not call 911 to ask questions about the water. Calls need to be reserved for emergency situations.

Our crews are being dispatched throughout the county and we will continue to update you all with the latest information on the Montgomery County Water Crisis.