Boil Alert issued for Brunswick and parts of North Royalton, Strongsville

CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) - The Cleveland Water Department has issued the following boil advisory due to two large water main breaks and a power outage, according to a press release from the Cleveland Water Department.

The Cleveland Water Department warned that disease-causing organisms may have entered the Cleveland Water system in the Brunswick, North Royalton, and Strongsville areas.

The waterborne illness may include nausea and stomach discomfort.

Cleveland Water said it currently has no evidence that the water system is contaminated, however, the possibility does exist.

The affected area is for all Cleveland Water customers south of Drake Road in those cities.

[ CLICK HERE TO SEE A MAP OF THE IMPACTED AREAS ]

Cleveland Water customers need to use bottled water or boil their water before using for drinking, cooking, or brushing teeth.

The boil advisory is anticipated to continue through Wednesday, Jan. 18, and possibly into Thursday morning, Jan, 19, according to Cleveland Water.

Cleveland Water listed the following precautions customers in the affected area should take:

• DO NOT DRINK THE WATER WITHOUT FLUSHING AND BOILING IT FIRST. If possible, remove aerator screens and flush all taps used for drinking and cooking for at least 3 minutes. Reattach aerators. Fill a clean pot or kettle with COLD water. Bring water to a rolling boil and let it boil for at least 3 minutes. Let the water cool before using, or use bottled water. Store boiled water in a container covered with a lid and if possible in the refrigerator. Boiled or bottled water should be used for drinking, making ice, brushing teeth, washing dishes, and food preparation until further notice. Boiling kills bacteria and other organisms in the water.
• Waterborne illness may include nausea, vomiting and stomach discomfort. If you experience one or more of these symptoms and they persist, contact your doctor. People with severely compromised immune systems, infants, and some elderly people may be at increased risk. These people should seek advice about drinking water from their healthcare providers.

Since the water mains that broke are used for direct service to customers. it may also cause additional disruptions in water quality.

This includes discolored water and/or potentially a temporary increase in lead levels in the drinking water, Cleveland Water stated.

As a precaution, Cleveland Water said it is providing people in the immediate break area with water filters certified to remove lead for temporarily filtering water used for drinking, cooking and brushing teeth.

Cleveland Water said those who have not received a filter are not in the area of risk, but you may still wish to purchase and use a water filter certified to remove lead.

Those who have received a filter will find Manufacturer’s instructions on how to properly use the filter, including when the filter should be changed, are included with the filter and should be read prior to use.

As a standard practice, the USEPA recommends the following actions to reduce possible lead exposure in drinking water:

• CLEAN: Clean your faucet aerator regularly and after disruptions to water service. If possible, remove it before flushing.
• FLUSH: If water has not been used for several hours, run the tap until there is a noticeable temperature drop. Then, run water for 30 seconds to 3 minutes before using it for drinking and cooking. This helps flush water that may have contained lead that may have leached from plumbing.
• CONSUME COLD: Use cold water for cooking, drinking, and preparing baby formula. Boiling the water will not reduce lead. Hot tap water may contain higher levels of metals than cold.

Cleveland Water said it is investigating the problem and taking the necessary steps to correct it as soon as possible.

Call Cleveland Water at 216-664-3060, or visit clevelandwater.com for more information.

You can also learn general guidelines on ways to lessen the risk of infection by microbes or lead exposure by calling EPA Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 1-800-426-4791 or clicking here to visit their website.

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