Editor’s note: The boil water notice was lifted on Thursday.
Portions of Mud Bay will be without water and then under a boil water notice beginning Tuesday.
The Haines borough water department issued the notice for residents who live south of Small Tracts and Mud Bay Road. About 35 homes will be affected.
Water and sewer plant supervisor Dennis Durr said staff will install a valve on the end of an 8-inch line. That water utility repair work will shut down water service at 9 a.m. Tuesday, and it could be out for anywhere from two to six hours, according to the notice.
Once the water comes up, the state requires a boil notice — as water may not be safe to drink because of the loss of pressure, which can allow contaminants to infiltrate or back siphon into the water lines.
All water used for things like drinking, making ice, brushing teeth, washing dishes and food preparation should be boiled for at least two minutes before using it.
Borough staff suggest storing a few gallons of drinking water before the shutdown Tuesday morning.
After the water pressure returns, Durr said borough staff will test the water for bacteria to ensure it’s safe to drink and leave the boil water notice in place until those test results come back.
Generally, that takes at least 24 hours to process, according to the notice.
Once the water is determined to be safe to drink, borough staff will send a Nixle alert and post it on the borough website.
“If we have to, we’ll go door to door,” he said.
He also said people should keep an eye out for instructions on how to flush their lines once the notice is lifted.
“It’s normal to get a little color. Just run their water, flush it until it’s clear,” he said.
The Haines Water Department asks that anyone seeking information call 907-766-6452.