Water boil orders have been issued for customers in the Public Water Supply District 2 and for some customers in Public Water Supply District 6.
Water District 2 covers Fenton, High Ridge and part of Byrnes Mill. District 6 covers House Springs, Hoene Springs and part of Byrnes Mill, but only those who live in the Hoene Springs area are under the boil advisory.
District 2
As of 3 p.m. today (May 1), floodwaters had not breached Public Water District 2’s water treatment plant on Twin River Road in Eureka, but a precautionary mandatory water boil order was issued.
If floodwaters continue to rise, plant manager Steve Ratliff said, the district may shift its water supply to a new well, which the Department of Natural Resources just approved today.
“We’ve tested the well with the Department of Natural Resources. Currently, it’s not in use, but if we suddenly put it in production, we have to have that boil water order in place,” Ratliff said.
During the flood in late December 2015, the water plant was flooded and water had to be brought in for district residents to use. Residents also were issued a boil water order at that time.
If the new well is put into production, the district will at least have a continual supply of water, even though a boil water order will still be in effect, Ratliff said.
He said the Big River at Byrnesville had crested by Monday afternoon, but the plant was not out of the woods.
“These are not the flood levels we saw last year, but backup from the Meramec could be a problem,” Ratliff said.
The Meramec River at Eureka was still expected to rise several feet. If that happens the Big River may have nowhere to go and impact the plant as it backs up, he said.
Crews at the plant were setting up an “aqua dam,” a large rubber tube filled with water that serves as a barrier. Volunteers were at the plant Sunday night (April 3) sandbagging.
Since the 2015 flood, the district has added the new well.
It also was awarded $1 million in funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for a concrete and soil berm that would surround the plant and eliminate the threat of flooding. Designs have been prepared for the berm but have not yet been approved by FEMA, District Manager, Bob Snelson said.
District 6
Public Water Supply District 6 on Monday afternoon issued a boil water advisory for customers in the Hoene Springs area.
Manager Tom Ward wrote in an email that heavy rain caused a water main break that supplies the Hoene Springs area. Customers are still receiving water service, but the precautionary boil water advisory is in effect until further notice.
When river levels drop, the district will be able to make repairs, Ward wrote.
During a boil order, customers are advised to boil water vigorously for three minutes prior to use. Use only boiled water for drinking, brushing teeth and diluting fruit juices and all other food preparations. Do not use ice from an automatic ice maker. Disinfect dishes by immersing them for at least one minute in clean tap water that has one teaspoonful of unscented bleach per gallon, according to the water district’s website.