Hello folks--short diary, emergency issue:
I just got a call from reverse-911 that indicates it is not safe to drink the water in 37 towns around Boston (including Summahville).
The Globe story is here:
Mass. declares state of emergency after aqueduct break; 'boil-water' order issued for 1 million
MWRA UPDATES SITE: http://www.mwra.com/...
11PM ET UPDATE: The news shows say this boil water order could be in effect for days. The reason is the back-up reservoirs are not fully treated. We get to keep the flow and pressure, but that water is not OK for drinking. More water shipments are coming to stores, and there will likely be distribution of emergency supplies.
Just a bit more:
A major pipe bringing water to the Boston area has sprung a "catastrophic" leak and is dumping eight million gallons of water per hour into the Charles River. Governor Deval Patrick said he was declaring a state of emergency and issuing a "boil-water" order for Boston and dozens of other communities.
"The water is not suitable for drinking. ... All residents in impacted communities should boil drinking water before consuming it," he said at a news conference this afternoon.
Boy, sometimes those disaster preps pay off....I keep a filtered water container right in my kitchen.
But do keep unnecessary water use down and help them out too, ok?
Important Water Information
Urgent information about a water ban affecting the Somerville Community.
The MWRA reports that there is a leak on a major water pipe in Weston that has disrupted water service to all of its customer communities east of Weston. The MWRA has issued a boil water order and water ban on all non-essential water use until further notice. All water used for drinking or preparing food should be boiled for approximately 2 minutes, and then cooled before consuming. It is also requested that all other non-essential water use be discontinued until further notice.
For more information, please visit www.mwra.com, or www.mass.gov, where other emergency contact information is also available. Updates will be posted regularly on those sites.
BOIL WATER ORDERS:
http://www.mass.gov/...
BOIL WATER FAQ:
http://www.mass.gov/...
SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR HOME-DIALYSIS FOLKS:
see Kitsap River's comments here.
Boil water for pets too: http://www.boston.com/...
Folks: disaster prep isn't just for people who live in places with tornadoes and earthquakes. I've been aware of some of the basics of disaster prep since the AlphaGeek series. I own a terrific water filter that is enormously comforting right now. I keep some bottled water in the basement all the time. I have a bunch of hand sanitizer around (especially fresh since the H1N1 this winter). Please consider having some basics around. I swear, you'll feel less frantic and you'll have some peace of mind.