UPDATE: The Precautionary Boil Notice was lifted Tuesday, Dec. 13.
By Alyssa Schnugg
News editor
A water main break that occurred Sunday on South Lamar was likely due to recent heavy rains, according to city officials.
“It appeared that settlement due to all the recent rainfall caused the pipe to crack,” said Oxford Utilities General Manager Rob Neely. “The pipe in that area is C-900 PVC pipe.”
Neely said repairs to the pipe were completed around 2:30 p.m. on Sunday and pressure was restored to the system. A nearby hydrant was opened to help remove sediment and discoloration in the water.
The city issued a self-imposed precautionary boil water notice for OU customers on Pea Ridge Road, portions of South Lamar and in the South Oaks neighborhood that receive water from the city of Oxford.
Water samples were collected and dropped off at the Mississippi Department of Health Monday morning.
“We hope to receive the results within 24-30 hours,” Neely said.
Neely said if the samples come back clean, the precautionary boil notice will be lifted immediately.
“Notification will be put on social media, the city’s webpage and Nixle, our emergency notification system,” he said Monday morning.
Until the precautionary notice is lifted, customers are advised to boil all water for one minute before using for drinking, cooking, brushing teeth, washing dishes or fruits and vegetables. Do not use ice made from recent tap water.
An interactive map outlining the affected areas can be viewed here.
For a complete update on this notice, visit Oxford Utilities’ Twitter, the city of Oxford’s website, Facebook or Twitter.
