CARMEL — Carmel Utilities has officially lifted the boil water advisory that impacted residents in West Carmel over the past two days.
The advisory encompassed an area bounded by the Hamilton County border to the west, 146th Street to the north, 96th Street to the south, and US 31 and College Avenue to the east.
This precautionary measure, the city's first boil water advisory in over 20 years, was implemented after a significant drop in water pressure in the largest water main serving the area. The advisory affected nearly half of the utility’s customers, including several schools and numerous businesses.
“As anticipated, the test results came back absent for any bacteriological contamination in our system,” says Lane Young, Director of Carmel Utilities. “We trust this result gives our customers confidence in our system and the safe water we provide for their use.”
With the advisory now lifted, the Hamilton County Health Department is urging all residents within the advisory boundaries, as well as those who experienced a loss of water pressure during that time, to take essential steps to ensure their water is safe for consumption and use.
“It’s important to take a few minutes to flush and clean your water systems,” says Amy Ballman, Director of Environmental Health at the Hamilton County Health Department. “This ensures that any potentially contaminated water is cleared from your plumbing, appliances, and fixtures.”
Residents are encouraged to follow these recommended steps to safeguard their water systems:
- Run cold water taps for at least 5 minutes and hot water taps for a minimum of 30 minutes to flush household pipes.
- Clean and flush appliances that use water, such as refrigerators with water dispensers, coffee makers, ice makers, and water softeners, according to manufacturer instructions.
- Discard and replace any ice made during the advisory period.
- Flush outdoor faucets, hoses, and water features that may have been used for cooking, cleaning, or providing water for pets. When flushing internal pipes, remove aerators first (if applicable) before flushing and rinse the aerator before reinstalling it.
- Run dishwashers and washing machines empty once before resuming normal use.
- Follow manufacturer guidelines for the replacement of water filters.
By taking these steps, residents can help ensure that their water systems are thoroughly safe and clean following the recent advisory.
