Energy United water safe to drink

Based on the laboratory analysis of water samples collected from EnergyUnited Water Corporation on August 25, 2010, water users were notified about 4 p.m. today (Aug. 26) that it is no longer necessary to boil water used for human consumption.

Rod Watts, of EnergyUnited Water Corporation's Stony Point office, stated that he appreciated the public's cooperation during this period.

Previously, the water consumers of Energy United Water Corporation, in Alexander and Iredell Counties experienced periods of low pressure and outages in the distribution system due to major main break in the City of Newton water system that occurred on Aug. 24. Periods of low or no pressure in the distribution system increased the potential for back siphonage and introduction of bacteria into the water system.

That situation prompted the Division of Environmental Health to advise that consumers boil all water used for human consumption or use bottled water whether there had been any changes in water pressure or not.

According to Town Manager, David Odom, those who pay their water bill to the Town of Taylorsville, had water fit for consumption, though Taylorsville was on a stage II mandatory water conservation. The Town of Taylorsville, as a precaution, had to temporarily terminate the normal water supply from Energy United Water/City of Newton. The town then began operating from reserves within two above-ground storage tanks. The Town purchased bulk water exclusively from Alexander County (supplied by the City of Hickory) until the all clear was given from the normal supplier.

Odom said this was accomplished through a piece of infrastructure put in place in the 1980s: an "interconnect" water line that joins the water line on Hwy. 127 with one at Three Forks Church Road. He praised the foresight of those leaders' actions and also the support received from neighboring agencies.

"I would like to thank EnergyUnited for their assistance and expertise. I also want to thank Alexander County Government and the City of Hickory for providing a backup source of water. This event shows the importance of water and also, in times of crisis, the importance of working together," Odom related. "Without the 127 interconnect to Three Forks Church Road, this could have been a very stark event."

(SOURCE: The Taylorsville Times)