Twin Cities boil water advisory caused by technical failure, low pressure

Officials investigating a malfunction in the water system for the communities of New Hope, Golden Valley and Crystal that caused a boil water advisory are now offering insight on what went wrong.

New Hope, Golden Valley, Crystal boil water advisory

What we know:

On July 13, the Joint Water Commission issued a boil water advisory warning residents of the communities that they should drink tap water or use it for brushing teeth, making ice, or cooking unless it has been boiled beforehand.

The advisory was lifted a day later after water quality testing done by the Minnesota Department of Health confirmed tap water is safe.

Boil water advisory cause

Dig deeper:

Authorities now say a technical failure in the water system triggered the advisory.

The computer that controls the Golden Valley water tower and helps manage the water system’s operations stopped communicating, authorities say, leading to the automatic closure of valves at each location, cutting themselves off from the rest of the system.

What causes a boil water advisory?

Why you should care:

When water pressure drops below 20 psi, the risk of contaminants entering a water system increases.

A boil advisory is a safety measure until pressure and water quality are confirmed stable.

On July 14, all samples tested negative for contaminants, officials said.

The Source: Information provided by the Joint Water Commission and Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.

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