Cicero lifts boil order, but affected residents must flush fixtures
Cicero lifted a localized two-day boil order on July 18 after a contractor-related water-main break was repaired, water pressure was restored and independent laboratory testing cleared the water.
The order did not apply to all of Cicero. The Town of Cicero said the affected area extended from 24th Street to Pershing Road, between Lombard Avenue and just east of Cicero Avenue.
Before consuming water, residents and businesses in that area were instructed to flush faucets and connected water-using equipment, even though the boil order had been lifted.
What affected residents were told to do
The town advised residents to run faucets for five minutes. Ice makers should be flushed by making three batches of ice and discarding the cubes.
Households with hot-water tanks were told to drain and refill them. Residents with water softeners were told to run a regeneration cycle. Filters, sediment systems and reverse-osmosis systems should be changed or backwashed according to the town’s instructions.
Water coolers with direct connections to the water supply should be flushed for five minutes. Residents were also told to restart and flush water-using fixtures such as dishwashers and washing machines. Large buildings with water-storage reservoirs were instructed to drain those reservoirs.
Why the order was lifted
The Town of Cicero said independent testing of water samples confirmed that the water was free of contaminants. The findings were also confirmed by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency on Saturday, July 18.
The water-main break occurred Thursday, July 16, after a contractor performing work in the town hit the main, according to the town and local news reports. The break was repaired and the water system was fully pressurized before the boil order ended.
CBS Chicago and ABC7 Chicago reported the lifting on July 19. Their reports also identified the affected boundaries and described the contractor-related break and water-pressure problems.
For residents and businesses inside the affected area, the boil order was no longer in effect after the testing was cleared. The remaining step was to flush the fixtures, tanks, filters and appliances listed in the town’s notice before consuming water from them. The Town of Cicero notice includes the detailed instructions and contact numbers for questions.
Sources
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