UPDATED PRESS RELEASE FROM THE CITY OF CLINTONVILLE REGARDING THE BOIL WATER ORDER

RELEASE UPDATE: April 27, 2007 12:15 p.m.

For more information contact:

Amy Kuhn, DNR at 920-662-5459

Lisa Kotter Clintonville City Administrator 715-250-0001

City of Clintonville residents advised to boil water used for drinking, cooking

DNR RELEASE AT 9:00 AM FROM GREEN BAY, WI – In the early morning hours of Friday, April 27, 2007, Clintonville Utilities experienced a problem in their system. This allowed the water level in the tower to drop resulting in a loss of pressure in the distribution system to the point that the Department of Natural Resources requires a “boil water” notice be issued.

Although the water pressure has been restored to normal levels, the pressure loss may have allowed groundwater or other contaminants to enter the distribution system. While there is no evidence this has occurred, the “boil water” notice is a precautionary measure until samples can be taken to verify the safety of the water system.

All water used for drinking, food preparations, and ice should be boiled at a full rolling boil for at least one minute, as a safety precaution, prior to use. Ice or any beverages prepared with unboiled tap water should be discarded.

Sampling will be conducted today, Friday and Saturday to determine if the water supply has returned to a safe condition. Clintonville Utilities personnel will be working closely with DNR to resolve the problem. Utility employees will be flushing the distribution system and increasing the chlorination dosage rate. Amy Kuhn of the Department of Natural Resources said further bacteriological sampling will be conducted to ensure the safe bacteriological quality of the water system and that the “boil water” precautions should be followed until citizens receive notice that the City of Clintonville’s water supply has returned to safe conditions.

UPDATED FROM CLINTONVILLE AT 12:00pm April 27, 2007

At approximately 4:00 a.m. today the City of Clintonville experienced a large water main break in the North Industrial Park at the intersection of Commercial Avenue and Winter Street. This break caused a severe decrease in water throughout the entire City water system. At the same time there appears to be some failure in the mechanical system which did not send appropriate signals to the City’s six wells to begin replenishing the system. For these two reasons residents began experiencing a large decrease in water pressure. The main break has now been isolated and is being repaired by RJ Immel. After the break was isolated, at approximately 8:00 a.m. the City placed all six wells on manual which began to replenish the system faster. It took until 11:30 a.m. to completely refill the system and water tower.

Early this afternoon the City will be water flushing the system which will create a rusty color in the water. People should be cautious when washing light colored clothes. Letting the water run for a while may help eliminate this rust color. The DNR is requiring the City to take 10 water samples to an independent lab for bacteria testing. The City cannot lift the boil order until there have been two sets of tests 24 hours apart with appropriate levels. The first tests will be taken later this afternoon. The second set of tests will be taken early Saturday afternoon. If all the results come back according to DNR regulations the DNR may allow the boil order to be lifted sometime on Sunday. The boil order could continue beyond Sunday depending on the test results. Residents should not consume the City water until a press release has been issued lifting the boil order. As a reminder residents can continue to use City water only for things like bathing, flushing toilets, washing hands, dish washing. Residents should NOT use water to drink, prepare food or make ice UNLESS they have first brought the water to a rolling boil and boiled it for additional minute.