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UPDATE: Pipe repair complete; boil water advisory remains

By Lightning Reports, Published: February 28, 2025

The city issued this update at 7:45 Saturday night on the pipe replacement affecting 900 water customers along N.C. 191:

Customers remain under a System Pressure Advisory and should continue to boil water or use bottled water. The repair is complete, and water samples have been taken to the water treatment plant for testing. Customers will receive a message after the results are back and the water is determined safe to drink. The testing process typically takes 24-48 hours to complete. 

EARLIER COVERAGE:

A planned maintenance job to repair a large water transmission line will affect around 900 city water customers in neighborhoods on either side of N.C. 191 from North Rugby Road to Banner Farm Road in Mills River on Saturday, the city announced.

"We expect the repair and water outage to begin on Saturday morning and take approximately 14 hours to complete," the city said. "Once water service is restored, customers will be under a System Pressure Advisory until further notice."

The city's notification system uses the contact information in their water billing account to notify customers. The water department will send additional alerts if the repair takes longer than expected, as well as a message once the System Pressure Advisory has been rescinded.

"We appreciate our customers' cooperation and patience as we complete this complex repair," the city said.
 
One customer affected by the planned outage says the city's change in the wording of its alert from a boil water advisory to a system pressure advisory is misleading because it fails to explicitly warn of contamination.
"We have 900 people and businesses that will be affected by the planned water line work starting tomorrow," said Kim Hetzler, who lives in the water outage area. "I hope the city council will decide to inform the public that there is an actual boil water advisory starting tomorrow and not classify it as 'a system pressure alert.'”
City Manager John Connet said the two advisories "basically mean the same thing."
The state Department of Environmental Quality "changed the nomenclature from boil water advisory to system pressure advisory so we're following DEQ's guidance," he said.
A system pressure alert "doesn't always mean the water's contaminated," he said, although he added that boiling water is recommended when the city issues that warning. If it was certain that drinking water supply to homes was contaminated, the city would make that clear in a separate alert. "We're not trying to hide anything," he said.
The city water department describes the warning this way:

When water systems experience low pressure or loss of pressure, there is an increased risk of contamination. This does not mean that the water is contaminated, but that the possibility exists, and customers are notified. This risk of contamination extends to all appliances connected to the tap water system including water and ice dispensers.

What do customers in the impacted area need to do?

  • Boil water before consumption by people and pets.
  • Boil water vigorously for at least one minute and let it cool before use. 
  • Alternatively, customers may use bottled water until the advisory is lifted.