UPDATE: April 26, 2017 3:36 p.m.
The boil water advisory for the Central Shoshone County Water District has been lifted. The CSWD says residents in the Kellogg area no longer need to drink bottled water or boil their water before consumption.
UPDATE: 11:30 a.m. Friday April 21, 2017
Chad Nelson with the Central Shoshone County Water District says water service has been restored for residents in the area.
Nelson says crews worked nonstop to get the broken main repaired after it broke earlier this week.
Even with water service having been restored, levels are still critical and Nelson says residents are being asked conserve water this weekend as the tanks replenish.
A boil order is still in effect for Central Shoshone County Water District customers. On Monday, crews will begin testing the water, but it could be another week before the boil order is lifted.
UPDATE: 4:30 p.m.
The following drinking water advisory has been issued by the Central Shoshone County Water District.
“Central Shoshone County Water District is under a drinking water advisory until further notice following depressurization of the water system caused by a water main break. Consumers are asked to drink bottled water or boil their water to a rolling boil for at least one minute before consumption. The advisory will remain in effect until further notice."
KHQ spoke to the Panhandle Health District and asked them when water service would be restored to the area. The PHD told us crews are continuing to work nonstop, but full water service may not be restored until Friday.
Any licensed food establishments and child care facilities without running water are required to close until further notice. Once adequate water sources have been restored, food establishment managers will be responsible for conducting ongoing assessments to ensure compliance with food safety requirements. Additional information on operating a food establishment during a boil water advisory can be found here.
For further questions and consultation, child care providers and food establishment managers can call Panhandle Health District’s Kellogg office at (208) 783-0707.
UPDATE: Thursday 10:45 a.m.
Officials say residents from Osburn to Kellogg woke up Thursday morning without water, but they are hoping to have service restored by mid-afternoon. When the water comes back on, a boil order will be in effect.
Since the water main break on Wednesday, crews have been working nonstop and are making significant progress. At around 9;30 a.m. on Thursday, crews began welding a new pipe to the old one.
It is estimated that it will take a day or so to fully restore the system.
Previous Coverage:
A massive water main break in Pinehurst, Idaho is putting hundreds of people at risk and about to be out of water. Firefighters tell us they are worried all the towns south of Kellogg, all the way to Osburn will be out of water by 7am Thursday.This not only means homes will be out of water for drinking and showering, but fire hydrants will also be dry. Crews have been working through the night to repair the break but are not sure how long it will take to fix the issue. Authorities are asking people in those towns to conserve water as much as possible. We will bring you updates on KHQ Local News throughout the morning and will update this story as soon as we get more information.
(story: Nichole Mischke, KHQ Right Now Reporter; photo: KHQ.com)