MULKEYTOWN, Ill. (WSIL)-- Several towns in southern Illinois are having to boil their water.聽
The Rend Lake Inter-City Water System issued the order after a pipe leak in Benton.
The boil order notice was sent out for at least 13 small towns and villages in Franklin, Perry, and Williamson counties. One couple experiencing the boil order in Mulkeytown, told News 3 they've had a lot of boil orders living off of Route 148.
Pam and Ron McCollom were outside watering and tending to their plants but were surprised to learn they were now under a boil order for Mulkeytown.
鈥淚 didn't realize there was a water main break, so I dumped out the tap water that I was drinking,鈥� Pam McCollom said.
They say living out in the county they don't get notified when there are water issues.
鈥淲e turn on our faucets and there is no water or it's really messed up,鈥� Pam says. 鈥淭hat's when we call the water department in Zeigler and find out if there's a water main break.鈥�
The McCollums say they will also call around to neighbors.聽But just experiencing a water main break last month, Ron says they already have some bottled water just in case.
鈥淭here was a break down the highway here about a half mile away and we lost our water pressure,鈥澛� Ron said.
Rend Lake鈥檚 Water and Sewer Manager, Tony Furlow says people like the McCollom鈥檚 should boil and drink bottled water until their local water department notifies them.
鈥淲e should be getting the results of those samples soon and we'll get everything back to normal as quickly as we can,鈥� Furlow said.
Furlow says there was a leak on a pipe in Benton that sends water out to its western communities like Du Quoin and Christopher.聽
BENTON, Ill. -- A boil water order was been issued to more than a dozen communities after a …
Furlow also says around 50 direct customers are under the boil order too. He says cities on the East Side of Benton are not affected.
鈥淢t. Vernon all the way south of Marion. That Waterline was not impacted by this break,鈥� Furlow said.
He says the cause of the leak was old age, but it just happened to be one of the lines that services many customers.
鈥淭his pipe that broke was over 50 years old and it was just, just kind of something that happens in our system,鈥� Furlow said.
While Furlow waits for the test samples to lift the order. The McColloms know they can at least use the water to water their plants.
Officials say all water is okay for bathing and washing, but should be treated before drinking or cooking.聽
