South Marengo Water and Fire Protection Authority
January 18th, 2024 1:50pm
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
South Marengo Water – office@southmarengo.com 334-295-5300
At 6:30 am on January 18th, 2024, the South Marengo Water and Fire Protection Authority issued a boil water advisory due to a loss of pressure in the water system. The loss of pressure in the system was caused by distribution leaks and customer leaks. Please note, that this issue is not unique to South Marengo, many water systems are experiencing issues due to the freezing weather.
Please do not call the office or call 911 to report a water outage or water pressure issues at this time. We are working on the issue as quickly as possible.
As a general guideline, the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM) requires a water system to issue a boil water advisory any time there is a loss of pressure, which does allow for a potential for bacterial growth in the system. This is a precautionary measure and will require the system pressure to stabilize. Bacteriological samples must be taken before the boil water advisory can be lifted.
Customers are requested to bring their water to a boil to for 3 minutes prior to eating or drinking. You are not required to bring your water to a boil for showering or other uses.
Currently, South Marengo is asking customers to be patient as we work to resolve the issue. This is a systematic issue affected multiple water systems in our area. As South Marengo is a purchase only system, it is dependent upon other systems for its source of water. We are asking all of our customers to follow the guidance from ADEM and the Alabama Rural Water Association:
- Drip, don’t run.
- Stop dripping faucets after thaw/freezing temperatures aren’t the issue anymore.
- If you have a water leak, please turn your meter off to prevent high bills and to help prevent unnecessary demand on the system.
- If you need assistance with locating your meter or turning off your meter please contact 334-295-5300.
- Please make sure your water line is buried, according to plumbing code frost line plus 6 inches, in this area that is at least 18inches deep also make sure your pipes are insulated.
Our team is working around the clock to resolve the issue, and we are working to provide a solution as soon as possible. This will take everyone working together to reduce usage and to allow the system to recover. We will provide further information once it is available. For frequent updates, we are updating our Facebook page as new information is available.
