Residents in parts of West Philadelphia were told early Monday to boil their drinking water due to the risk of contamination from disease-causing bacteria.
About 18,000 customers have been affected, mostly in Wynnefield and Overbrook, according to the water department, which published a map of the area. Parts of Haddington and Carroll Park are also included in the advisory.
Water department officials said a pumping station failed Saturday afternoon, causing a loss of pressure for properties in the 19151 zip code and parts of 19131 and 19139. A drop in pressure can allow bacteria to seep into the pipes, according to the department.
Though pressure has been restored, officials “out of caution” have advised people in the affected areas to boil water for drinking, cooking, making ice, brushing teeth, washing dishes and preparing formula.
Water should be brought to a rolling boil and allowed to boil for one minute before cooling, the department said. The heat kills organisms in the water.
Officials said water is being tested for coliform bacteria, which can indicate whether harmful contaminants are present. The department expects to resolve the issues by Tuesday.
The notice comes less than three months after a large swath of Philadelphia was briefly encouraged to drink bottled water following a latex spill that affected the Delaware River. In that case, boiling water would not have removed damaging chemicals suspected of leaking into the waterway. Mayor Jim Kenney’s administration has said no residents were exposed to contaminants during that incident.
