UPDATE 3:45pm 4/6/19
City of Ferndale staff say they have received the water sample test results. “Tests came back satisfactory and the boil advisory is lifted as of now,” said city spokesperson Riley Sweeney in a text message.
UPDATE 8:50pm 4/5/19
City staff say water service should begin returning for those affected by the service interruption within an hour. Some water customers in the affected area report a return to standard water pressure already.
The boil advisory remains in place and will continue to be until test results from water samples are available. This is an 18-hour process according to city staff and is required per health department requirements.
City water service customers in the affected area are advised to continue boiling their water until further notice which could come sometime tomorrow.
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City of Ferndale staff today issued an advisory for neighborhoods east of I-5 and between Newkirk Road and Challenger Street as a precautionary measure.
The following notice was issued by city staff this afternoon.
During an inspection this morning, public works staff identified a leak in the water main that services the north Portal Way area. The Public Works crew mobilized on site, identified the source of the leak to be a cracked 12-inch valve and began work to repair the line.
Starting at 3pm and continuing through till 8pm, customers in the area will experience disruptions in their water service.
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As a result of this work, the City is issuing a boil water advisory as a precautionary measure. An advisory does not mean that the drinking water is contaminated, but rather that it could be contaminated, so precautions should be taken until drinking water quality testing can be completed to confirm that no bacterial contamination is present.
Under a boil water advisory, customers in the affected area (see map) should follow these guidelines:
• Boil all drinking water. Tap water should be boiled vigorously for three minutes before using it to drink, cook, or prepare food. Let the water cool sufficiently before drinking.
• Ice made with un-boiled tap water should not be used for drinking purposes.
• Dishes and food contact surfaces may be disinfected using tap water that contains one teaspoon of household bleach per gallon.
• The tap water is safe for other purposes such as bathing; however, small children should be discouraged from swallowing bath water.
• Water boiled for drinking and cooking purposes may be used for brushing teeth.
The affected area is within the red rectangle on the map below.
City staff say they will issue a notification when the advisory is lifted. Anyone with questions are advised to contact City of Ferndale Water Treatment Plant Operator Mike Olinger by phone at (360) 384-4607 or via email to mikeolinger@cityofferndale.org.