Boil order lifted for O’Fallon, Fairview Heights water customers

The boil order for all O’Fallon water customers, including those in Fairview Heights, was lifted Sunday afternoon.

According to a release from O’Fallon City Hall, customers should take the following precautionary measures as water services resumes:

▪ Flush the building’s water lines and clean faucet screens.

▪ Purge the water-using fixtures and appliances of standing water and ice, such as refrigerator ice makers or coffee makers.

The boil order was issued Wednesday after frigid temperatures broke numerous water mains in St. Clair County. Saturday marked the 13th day of below-freezing temperatures throughout the area, according to the National Weather Service.

Millstadt, Concordia Water District, Caseyville and Commonfields of Cahokia Public Water District were no longer under the boil order as of Saturday afternoon.

The Kaskaskia Water District, which services New Athens, Lenzburg, Marissa and Tilden, and the Washington County Water District have also been under a boil order since early Friday morning. The boil order was expected to remain in effect throughout the weekend, until samples could be tested once labs reopened Monday.

Karen Cotton, spokeswoman for Illinois American Water, said in a news release that water was once again meeting federal standards in all places where the boil order was lifted. However, the company was still asking people to conserve water while employees battle the frigid temperatures impacting the local water systems.

“We simply ask customers to use no more than they need and to use water wisely. If they need to wash their clothes or dishes, they should wait until they have a full load. We thank them for their cooperation as this effort will help ensure we can continue to meet critical demand to homes, businesses and for fire protection,” Karen Cooper, senior manager of field operations and production, said in the release.

This story was originally published January 7, 2018 at 4:49 PM with the headline "Boil order lifted for O’Fallon, Fairview Heights water customers."