The boil water advisory for Memphis Light Gas and Water customers will continue at least into the beginning of the work week, the head of the utility said on Saturday.
MLGW president, Doug McGowen, said during a press conference that on Sunday he would be better positioned to predict when the water supply system’s pressure could be restored, which is a necessary first step to lifting the advisory.
Speaking from a field site in Midtown’s Binghampton area where MLGW employees were repairing a ruptured six-inch water main, McGowen said crews were working around the clock on these kinds of situations.
They’ve already restored 36 water main leaks as well as responded to more than 2000 residential and commercial properties where pipes have burst due to prolonged subfreezing temperatures.
“On Sunday we know the temperature is going to warm up, and when the temperature warms up, there will be more leaks that will reveal themselves,” McGowen said. “So as we get towards the afternoon [on Sunday], I will have a better idea of when I will be able to restore water to customers who currently do not have water or customers who have very low water pressure right now.”
Once the supply system's pressure is maintained, testing for contaminants in the water will need to come back negative in order to remove the boil water advisory, per state regulations.
McGowen said that about 15 percent of customers, located in areas of northwestern and southeastern Shelby County, were experiencing low water pressure and that a smaller subset of homes were completely without water.
Customers are asked to stop dripping their faucets on Sunday once temperatures rise above freezing, expected in the afternoon.
McGowen also urged commercial business owners to check on their property as fire protection systems have burst and gushed water unknowingly for hours, contributing to the low pressure problem.