WAVE 3 TV Louisville, KY | Boil water advisory issued after major line breaks

Boil water advisory issued after major line breaks

By Maira Ansari - bio | email
Posted by Charles Gazaway - email

LOUISVILLE, KY (WAVE) - The Louisville Water Company wants more than 20,000 customers to boil their water after a massive water main break Wednesday. The break happened around 11 a.m. near U.S. 42 and the Gene Snyder Freeway.

"We're not sure what happened why the break occurred," said Kelley Dearing Smith of the Louisville Water Company.

A 60-inch water transmission main broke leaving a huge hole in the ground and water everywhere. Water spilled across the road, into a subdivision and into the basement of a condo being built.

"These pipes carry an incredible amount of water. Large volumes of water. They are under an incredible amount of pressure. So when something happens in the ground, this pipe breaks. The force that created under the earth causes a break in the pipe and causes the land to move away and shift," said Smith.

A boil water advisory is now in effect for over 20,000 customers in eastern Jefferson County. The area is roughly defined by the following boundaries: Gene Snyder Freeway on the north, Hurstbourne Parkway on the west, Floyds Ford and the Jefferson County line on the east and Taylorsville Road on the south.

Customers living within the area should:

• Bring all water used for drinking, food preparation and cooking to a rolling boil for three minutes.
• Don't use the water in refrigerator lines.
• Don't use ice from automatic ice makers.

When a break like this happens, it not only makes it hard if you are trying to take a shower, but impacts public safety as well. People living in the Anchorage, Middletown and Worthington fire districts might all be affected by the water problem. Chief Chris Aponte of Harrods Creek said they have already gotten help from surrounding communities.

"We've brought in tankers from Oldham County. Rural department have tankers and we don't. They are supporting us and giving us so we have 6-thousand gallons for firefighting and they are supporting us," said Harrods Creek Fire Chief Chris Aponte.

In addition to homes and businesses, 11 Jefferson County Public Schools were impacted by the water main break. LWC reports that all customers have had water service restored, but people within the affected areas should boil their water until the advisory is lifted.

For a map of the Boil Water Advisory area, click on the highlighted link. For a list of the streets, click the highlighted link.

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