Editors note: The story has been updated to reflect the newest information.
The city of Athens issued a boil advisory Thursday for a total of 171 streets including the West Side, East side and all of uptown after a section of a pipe burst on Pine Street.
The streets affected are all streets north of West Union Street, north of Race Street and west of Elliot Street and on the near and far east sides.
A cast iron pipe burst at the corner of Ring Street and Pine Street, 104 Pine St., likely due to it being about 80 years old. The average lifespan of these pipes is between 80 and 100 years, Robert Heady, director of public works and city engineer, said.
The advisory was issued at 5 p.m. Thursday and will last until 11 p.m. Friday. Heady said this is just precautionary, just in case bacteria is in the line.
The pipe was repaired at about 4 p.m., but when a pipe’s pressure is below 20 pounds, a test has to be issued because the water could be contaminated.
The Athens public works has to flush the water and test it, which takes between 26 and 30 hours, which is why the advisory lasts until 11 p.m. Friday, Heady said.
“It went as well as it could today, for the size of the waterline,” Heady said.
If someone were to drink the water, there would be a small chance of someone getting sick because there would be enough chlorine in it to kill any bacteria, Heady said. Until the test comes back, however, residents should not drink the water.
The advisory does not include O’Bleness Hospital, according to a city news release.
West Green is not affected, the front four residence halls on South Green are not affected, but Baker Center is affected.
“A line like this, it isn’t common for it to burst. The last time it happened in Athens was about five years ago on West State Street, which was the same line,” Heady said.
The city announced in a release that the boil order will expire at 11 p.m. Friday night.
