REND LAKE — The 36″ main line that suffered a failure at the Rend Lake Conservancy District Water Treatment Plant has been successfully repaired. The Intercity Water Plant is pumping water into the system with two high service pumps.

The lake intake and the treatment plant have also been returned to service. The district reports that the system will be on a boil water order until Intercity Water receives test results showing that the water is safe to drink. Any consumers currently operating under a boil water should continue to do so until their municipal provider tells them otherwise. Those consumers who have been told to conserve water should also continue to do so until also told otherwise.

Towns and water districts may only collect their samples after Intercity receives a report showing that the water is safe to use. Intercity Water will draw samples on Saturday and is expected to have the results on Sunday after 2:00 p.m.

Customers of all municipal water districts should be aware that there will be an increased possibility of air as well as floating copper and lead in the water lines. This is due to disturbed sediment since there was a complete shut down and emptying of pipes and tanks. Customers are encouraged to remove aerators from faucets or to use faucets without aerators, like tubs, to flush the lines. This simply means to let the water run for a couple of minutes before collecting water to be boiled and then cooled for consumption.

District ground storage tanks are currently being filled. Booster pumps will be used to fill the tanks of the towns and water districts. Please be assured that the water is rapidly getting to all corners of the system but since most elevated towers and other water storage requires the use of RLCD booster pumps.