Entire Village Of Holly Remains Under Boil Water Advisory

HOLLY (WWJ) - About 6,000 people who live and work in the Village of Holly will have to boil their water or drink bottled water for the next few days.

Officials say a water main break was discovered around 7:30 p.m. Tuesday on Emma Street that caused a drop in pressure in the water system. Crews have replaced a 10-foot section of 6-inch water main that had failed, with a 12-inch section of pipe blown out on the top.

On Wednesday afternoon, crews will be water flushing the system which will create a rusty color in the water. People should be cautious when washing light colored clothes. Letting the water run for a while may help eliminate this rust color.

At this time, no actual contamination has been detected within the water system. However, as a precautionary measure, all water customers in the Village of Holly are advised to boil all water used for drinking and cooking. The water is safe for bathing and doing laundry but for all other uses, should be boiled.

Drinking water should be boiled for at least five minutes and allowed to cool before consumption. An alternative is to use bottled water for drinking and cooking.

The DNR is requiring the Village to take two-hour water samples to an independent lab for bacteria testing. The Village cannot lift the boil order until there have been two sets of tests, 24-hours apart with appropriate levels.

The first tests will be taken Wednesday morning. The second set of tests will be taken early Thursday morning. If all the results come back according to DEQ regulations the DEQ may allow the boil order to be lifted sometime on Friday.

Residents will be notified when the boil water advisory has ended.