Serving Boone, Blowing Rock, Banner Elk, and other towns of the North Carolina High Country
Founded 05-05-05
January 25, 2007 issue
The Town of Boone Public Utilities Department is asking Boone residents on Owens Drive to flush their pipes in an effort to clear any contaminants that may remain following a recent test for petroleum products in the neighborhood’s water.
According to Public Utilities Director Rick Miller, a neighborhood residence tested positive for low levels of petroleum product, and all test results received by the department have indicated that the amount of petroleum product in the water system is not at harmful levels. However, officials at the NC Department of Environment and Natural Resources and Boone agree that a vigorous flushing of the water system and piping in the Owens Drive neighborhood would be wise.
To encourage people to flush their systems completely, the Town of Boone will only bill Owens Drive residents for a minimum amount in the upcoming billing period.
Public Utilities staff was contacted Tuesday, January 16, and informed that Boone Fire Department personnel had discovered a petroleum product inside a fire hydrant on Owens Drive. Utilities Department crews were immediately dispatched to investigate.
The soil surrounding the fire hydrant was saturated with home heating oil that had entered the fire hydrant through the two holes in the body that allow the water to drain from the hydrant after use. To determine if the oil had entered the water system, staff collected water samples from two residences and sent them to a laboratory for testing. The Utilities Department is investigating the source of the home heating oil.
The lab contacted the Water Treatment Plant on January 17, and said one of the samples tested positive for a petroleum product. While the results did not indicate a harmful level of the contaminant, Public Utilities crews will continue to flush and test the water system until test results verify the product has been removed from the water system.
The Public Utilities Department hand-delivered letters to Owens Drive residents on January 19 notifying them of the situation and requesting their help with flushing the system.
Direct any questions to Rick Miller at 828-266-1183 or rick.miller@townofboone.net.