Updated 04/11/21:
The Precautionary Boil Advisory affecting 14,000 customers has been lifted. The water was tested on Sat. Apr. 10, after a pipe was broken by a contractor, and found clean and safe. Customers may now drink and use water normally.
Late Friday afternoon, a 12 inch water line was breached at William and Lorimier streets in Cape Girardeau.
According to the City of Cape, the break was immediately isolated and water service was restored. Some properties experienced very low or no water pressure on Fri. Apr. 9.
A Boil Water Advisory was issued for approximately 14,000 customers, on Fri. Apr. 9 around 5:30 p.m. The advisory was lifted on Sat. Apr. 10 at 6:30 p.m.
The announcement was made on the City of Cape Girardeau's website.
The Boil Water Order also included a significant number of buildings on the main campus of Southeast Missouri State University, The River Campus, and off-campus housing areas where many Southeast students and employees reside.
Affected residents and businesses were asked to boil water from 3 to 5 minutes, and cool water before using. Only bottled water or water that had been boiled for the recommended time, was to be consumed or used to wash dishes, wash fruits or vegetables, make ice cubes or brush teeth.
Now that the order has been lifted, it is recommended to flush the buildings water lines and clean the faucets screens. Also, purging water-using fixtures and appliances of standing water or ice is advised. This includes changing refrigerator water filters.
The Department of Natural Resources regulations require cities to issue boil water notifications when the pressure drops below 20 psi, which can happen when a water pipe is breached.
