UPDATED 4 p.m. May 16: The water provider has lifted the boil-water advisory and issued new safety instructions. The News-Press’ earlier story follows below.
A water main break left many residents in Castle Pines west of Interstate 25 without water service, and the local water provider has issued a boil-water advisory for all residents and businesses in the Castle Pines North Metropolitan District.
The line has been repaired and water service has been restored, but the boil-water advisory likely won’t be lifted until at least Thursday afternoon, the district said Wednesday afternoon.
“No water should be consumed until the boil advisory is lifted,” said Nathan Travis, the district’s manager.
Bottled water is available at the district’s office at 7404 Yorkshire Drive — off Castle Pines Parkway, a short drive west of I-25 — for those who need it, the district’s website says.
The line broke during work that is occurring as part of a reconstruction project on Monarch Boulevard, Travis said.
“Last night, during the ongoing Monarch Waterline Rehabilitation Project, a waterline ruptured while connecting the new line to our existing system,” the metro district said in a May 15 announcement. “This incident has resulted in many residents waking up to find their water service interrupted this morning.”
While no contamination was initially detected, the loss of pressure may have allowed disease-causing organisms to enter the water system, so the district is taking precautions.
“These organisms include bacteria, viruses, and parasites, which can cause symptoms such as nausea, cramps, diarrhea, and associated headaches,” the May 15 notice says, adding: “If you experience any of these symptoms and they persist, you may want to seek medical advice.”
It adds: “System flushing is already underway, and bacteriological samples will be taken today, and we will lift the notice as soon as we get acceptable test results.”
The district anticipates resolving the problem within one to two days, pending the samples passing.
Safety instructions
The announcement included the following instructions for residents:
• Bring all water to a rolling boil for at least one minute before using it for drinking, cooking, making ice, brushing teeth or washing dishes.
• Alternatively, you may use bottled water for the above purposes.
• Avoid consuming unboiled water: Do not consume untreated tap water. This includes avoiding the use of ice from automatic ice makers and water dispensers.
• Extra caution should be taken for infants, the elderly and those with compromised immune systems, as they are particularly susceptible to waterborne illnesses.
• You may use tap water for bathing and showering, but be careful not to swallow any water.
• If possible, use disposable plates, cups and utensils. If washing dishes by hand, use boiled or bottled water. Dishwashers may be used if the water reaches a final rinse temperature of at least 150 degrees Fahrenheit (65 degrees Celsius) or if the dishwater has a sanitizing cycle.
• Use boiled or bottled water for preparing food and beverages.
Looking ahead
Even with service restored, there may be “significant discoloration” in the water, the announcement says.
“This is a result of the unanticipated outage, and we are taking steps to flush the system in any affected areas,” the announcement says.
The discoloration is likely caused by iron and mineral buildup in the district’s distribution system piping, according to Travis.
“We do annual flushing proactively to help keep the presence of iron scaling to a (minimum),” Travis said. “That same iron is disturbed in large system events like this, making the discoloration more prevalent.”
While it can affect the taste, color or odor of drinking water, iron is a non-regulated contaminant, and there are no known negative health side effects, the district’s website says.
If you experience discolored water, do not run your hot water or do laundry or dishes, the district’s website says. If discolored water is pulled into your water heater, you may need to flush the heater separately to clear it up.
“Once we have ‘negative’ Bac-T samples, residents can resume normal water use,” Travis said. “After that point, discolored water does not indicate that the water is unsafe to consume. It is important to note that residents should not consume the water until the notice has been lifted.”
The state has been notified of the situation, the announcement says.
Monarch Boulevard project
A reconstruction effort is ongoing this spring on Monarch Boulevard between Castle Pines Parkway and Glen Oaks Avenue, according to the City of Castle Pines. Along with roadway “tear out” and asphalt replacement, the project includes installing 4,300 feet of new waterline by the metro district, according to the city.
“It is replacing an existing waterline ultimately to try and avoid situations exactly like this one in the future,” Travis said.
The Castle Pines North Metropolitan District serves residents of Castle Pines west of I-25, providing water and wastewater services to about 12,000 residents, according to the district’s website. Its customers include those that live within its boundaries, as well as residents of the Hidden Pointe area.
For more information on the boil-water advisory, the public can contact Travis at 303-827-4824.
This is a developing story and will be updated.