The city of Ann Arbor has issued a "boil water" advisory for the northeast side of the city as a result of the city water system being depressurized.
As a precautionary measure, all residents in the affected northeast area are advised to boil water that they will use for drinking or cooking.
City officials said in a news release Thursday morning the water system was depressurized due to a city contractor conducting scheduled valve maintenance on the northeast side. Any time there is a loss of water system pressure, a boil water advisory is issued as a precautionary measure.
"This is a precautionary advisory only," the city's news release states. "There is no indication that there was any contamination."
A map of the area where a boil water advisory is in effect.
City of Ann Arbor
The city advises water should be boiled for at least one minute and allowed to cool in a covered container. Bottled water can be used as an alternative to boiling.
Residents might experience discolored water, which can cause stains to laundry if the discoloration is not first cleared from the lines, city officials cautioned.
"The iron sediment in the water main has been disturbed, causing the discoloration," the city's news release states. "Once residents are notified that the boil water alert has ended, it is recommended to run cold water for several minutes and flush the toilet to clear your lines."
The city advises northeast residents to continue to use boiled or bottled water for drinking purposes until further notice.
Tests of the water have begun and results are expected to be available within 24 hours. The boil water advisory will be lifted when safe results have been obtained from the tests. Residents in the affected area will be notified via the city's Code Red emergency notification system.
Residents still can use the water for showering, flushing toilets, and doing laundry, according to the city. When using the dishwasher, it's recommended to use the heated cycle. If hand-washing dishes, the city recommends using hot water as a precautionary measure.
For more information about Code Red, visit www.a2gov.org. Residents also can call the Water Treatment Plant 24/7 at 734-994-2840 with questions.
City of Ann Arbor
Ryan J. Stanton covers government and politics for AnnArbor.com. Reach him at ryanstanton@annarbor.com or 734-623-2529. You also can follow him on Twitter or subscribe to AnnArbor.com's email newsletters.