Boiling Water Advisory
Attention Mebane citizens and utility customers:
This is a CodeRED emergency call from the City of Mebane regarding a Boiled Water Advisory for Brighton Place Apartments and Mill Creek Subdivision resulting from a water main line damaged from Tropical Storm Chantal.
The recent Tropical Storm Chantal weather event has resulted in a washout of North First Street in the area north of Stagecoach Road and Mebane Rogers Road intersection with North First Street. This has resulted in damage to the main water line serving Brighton Place Apartments and Mill Creek Subdivision. As a result, the City of Mebane Public Utilities Department will have to shut down this water main line to replace the damaged section.
This repair will most likely result in the Brighton Place Apartments and Mill Creek Subdivision losing water pressure and access to drinking water during the repair. The repair will be made as quickly as possible, but no time estimate for the repair is known at this time.
As such, the City of Mebane is advising any water system usage for drinking purposes for Brighton Place Apartments and Mill Creek Subdivision from the point of this code red call forward is under a boiled water advisory. While under a Boil Water Advisory, Brighton Place Apartments and Mill Creek Subdivision residents are advised to boil all water used for home consumption – this includes drinking, making ice, brushing teeth, washing dishes, food preparation, etc. Residents and businesses are urged to conserve water or to use bottled water until these problems are resolved.
The City of Mebane has posted further information on its website & social media with a guide of “When to Boil and Not When to Boil” as guidance for a boil water advisory from the Center for Disease Control (CDC). We ask customers to follow this guidance. This Boiled Water Advisory will remain in place until the water main line is repaired and the required State of North Carolina testing is completed.
City services such as the Mebane Fire Department and Public Utilities are aware of this change and will continue to provide service during this interim phase. Please be aware that there is no estimate on when the Boiled Water Advisory will be lifted for Brighton Place Apartments and Mill Creek Subdivision.
Please remember to contact 911 in the event of emergencies related to this specific situation. As usual, call 911 for all other emergencies. If a Mebane water customer located within Brighton Place Apartments and Mill Creek Subdivision has questions, please contact Mebane Emergency Operations at 919-304-9235.
Finally, first responders will remain in place to assist during this event. The City's social media accounts will provide updates as new information becomes available.
Boiling Water Advisory Tips from the CDC:
If local officials issue a boil water advisory, use commercially bottled water or boil your tap water. If commercially bottled water is not available, boil your tap water. To kill germs, bring water to a full rolling boil for 1 minute. At elevations above 6,500 feet, boil for 3 minutes. To avoid burns, allow boiled water to cool before you use it. Boil your tap water even if you filter it. For example, still, boil tap water if it has been through a home water filter or a pitcher that filters water.
- For drinking and cooking: use commercially bottled water or boiled water for drinking and to prepare and cook food.
- Handwashing: in many cases, you can use tap water and soap to wash your hands during a boil water advisory.
- Bathing and showering: be careful not to swallow any water when bathing or showering. Use caution when bathing babies and young children. Consider giving them a sponge bath to reduce the chance of them swallowing water. Brushing teeth: brush your teeth using boiled water or commercially bottled water. Do not use tap water that you have not boiled first.
- Washing dishes: if possible, use disposable plates, cups, and utensils during a boil water advisory. Sanitize all baby bottles.
- Dishwashers are generally safe to use if they have a sanitizing cycle or reach a final rinse temperature of at least 150°F (66°C). Check the manual or contact the manufacturer to find out what temperature your dishwater reaches.
To wash dishes by hand:
- Wash and rinse the dishes as you normally would using hot water.
- In a separate basin, add 1 teaspoon of unscented household liquid bleach for each gallon of warm water.
- Soak the rinsed dishes in the water for at least one minute.
- Let the dishes air dry completely before using them again.
- Laundry: It is safe to wash clothes as usual.
- Caring for pets: Give pets commercially bottled water or boiled water that has cooled. Pets can get sick from some of the same germs as people or spread germs to people.
- Caring for your garden and houseplants. You can use tap water for houseplants and gardens, including watering plants you eat.
