Utility crews have completed repairs to a water main break in north Kansas City, but a boil water advisory remains in effect until Monday, officials said.
North Kansas City is working with the Missouri Department of Natural Resources to test and monitor the city’s water quality, according to a news release Saturday.
Over the next two days, the city will test its water to ensure it meets public drinking water requirements and is safe to drink. This process takes a minimum of 48 hours and may take longer if issues arise during the testing process, the city said in a statement.
The main water system break, which happened in Macken Park on Thursday night, caused other small breaks in the city, officials said. The outages left homes with low water pressure on Thursday and Friday, The star previously reported.
North Kansas City authorities have not said what caused the water main to initially burst. No other information was immediately available Saturday.
The boil water advisory will be lifted after the city meets all Missouri Department of Natural Resources requirements.
“A boil water advisory is issued as a precautionary measure,” North Kansas City spokeswoman Kim Nakahodo said in a statement.
“A warning does not mean that drinking water is contaminated, but rather that it may be contaminated, so precautions should be taken until drinking water quality testing can be completed to confirm that there is no bacterial contamination present,” she said.
The Missouri Department of Natural Resources recommends that residents continue to boil water for at least 48 hours, even after the city’s water system is repaired.
While the boil advisory is in effect, North Kansas City Water Utilities customers are asked to boil all tap water for at least 3 minutes before using it for cooking, cleaning or drinking.
The Clay County Public Health Department is working with food vendors in North Kansas City to maintain safe food preparation standards in kitchens with potentially contaminated tap water. Some North Kansas City businesses were forced to close while repairs were made.
The Star’s Ilana Arougheti contributed to this story.
