FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. (WSVN) - A Fort Lauderdale community is dealing with water woes for more than a week, as a water line leak has left area homes and businesses tapped out, but city officials said the end is in sight.
Officials flushed fire hydrants all day and into the night Thursday, all part of the plan to get the water moving and ready for consumption.
Crews distributed bottled water on Thursday following 10 days of bacteria-riddled water in the Las Olas Isles neighborhood.
Residents of the area have been dealing with unclean water since Jan. 8, when a six-inch water pipe broke near 1760 East Las Olas Blvd., near Bontona Avenue. Frustration among them is overflowing.
“For the last two weeks, we’ve had a water issue on Bontana and Las Olas,” said resident Tanya Sumholz. “We’ve had to be boiling our water.”
As crews worked to fix the problem, the water pressure dropped below 20 psi, which prompted city officials to issue a precautionary boil water notice.
While the pipe has been fixed, the water on the street hasn’t passed proper testing yet. Tests continue to show remains of bacteria in the drinking water, keeping the boil water advisory in place.
“It’s a little peculiar situation, because it’s a dead end street,” said City of Fort Lauderdale spokesperson Talal Abi-Karam. “It’s one street … and the flow is going in one direction.”
City officials said that one way flow has left some stagnant water behind.
“These tests still haven’t passed and we’re going to continue to mitigate the situation,” said Abi-Karam.
Residents on the other hand, have their own ideas.
“I think, you know what it is? It’s the infrastructure of our neighborhood. It’s corroded, and this is what’s happening,” said Sumholz.
Even in a city that has experience with water main breaks, officials spent the day Thursday handing out bottled water as a way to thank the residents for their patience.
“They delivered bottled water to everyone,” said Sumholz
Only 65 residents or so have been affected. City said they hope to resolve the issue by the weekend.
“The hardest thing is washing dishes, that’s the hardest thing,” said Sumholz.
Officials are now working with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to determine whether a chlorine injection, a process that eliminates bacteria in the water, can be administered to the affected pipe.
Additionally, the work will continue into Thursday evening. Officials will not lift the advisory until the affected areas pass water testing for two consecutive days. The next test is expected on Saturday morning.
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