Emergency water shutoff planned for parts of Saint John's Forest Hills

A boil water order for about 700 customers ineast Saint John is expected to remain in place until at least Saturday night, with an emergency water shutoff planned for some customers in Forest Hills Wednesday night for repairs, says the city.

The shutoff to approximately 100 homes and businesses is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. and last until approximately 7 a.m. on Thursday, according to an advisory issued on Wednesday afternoon.

Affected customers, who will receive hand-delivered notices, are being urged to draw enough water to meet their daily needs prior to the shutoff.

• Boil water order issued for parts of Saint John

Theareas affected by the shutoff include:

• Mountain View Drive, civic numbers 120-136
• Vista Ridge Crescent
• Candace Street
• Lynn Avenue
• Kelton Street
• Beverly Drive
• Kennington Street

"Provided the emergency repair work proceeds as planned tonight, crews will flush the water system tomorrow and we will get the first round of water samples followed by the second set of water samples on Friday," the advisory states.

"Considering this,the earliestthe boil water order could be lifted for the areas of Forest Hills and Champlain Heights would beSaturday evening."

Customers will be notified when the order has been lifted, it states.

Boil before consumption

Until then, affected customers should bring their tap water to a rolling boil for at least one minute before drinking it, using it to brush their teeth, or to make ice, juice, coffee or tea, or washing vegetables that aren't being cooked.

Tap water is safe to use for bathing or washing dishes.

The boil order was issued on Tuesday following the break of a24-inch cast iron transmission main.

"In order to complete the [repairs] safely, Saint John Water will have to shut down a watermain that travels over the broken transmission main so that crews are not working under a large live watermain," the advisory states.

The areas affected by the boil order include:

• The Forest Hills areas affected by the shutoff
• Cottage Road, civic numbers one to138
• Bayside Drive, civic numbers 1142 to1385
• Grandview Avenue, civic numbers438 to1223
• All of Champlain Heights
• Old Black River Road, civic numbers777 to916
• Berryman Street
• Helena Street
• Miranda Way
• Bernice Court
• McAllister Industrial Park
• 2 Cromwell Dr.
• Champlain Heights Irving
• Loch Lomond Road, civic numbers999 and1007

"We thank customers for their patience," the city's advisory states.

About 45,000 customersin the east, north and south ends of the city or about 60 per cent of the customer base were under a boil order for a few days earlier this month after heavy rains and high winds increased turbidity.