Boil Water Advisory Remains in Effect for City of Savannah Water Customers
SAVANNAH – A boil water advisory remains in effect for specific City of Savannah Water Customers following an issue at the City’s I&D Water Treatment Plant that caused turbidity levels in the finished water to exceed regulatory limits.
The operational condition that caused the elevated turbidity levels was corrected Friday evening around 5 p.m. City crews tested water samples throughout Friday evening and coordinated with Georgia Environmental Protection Division staff on the data.
Based on City staff reports Saturday morning, chlorine levels remained stable, and the I&D plant is operating within normal parameters. An additional round of sample testing began early Saturday morning. City staff are awaiting results of water samples taken Friday evening to confirm bacteria levels meet regulatory limits in the water distribution system. Testing for the presence of bacteria requires 24 hours to complete.
Affected areas include all water customers in the Savannah city limits, portions of unincorporated Chatham County, areas of Effingham County, Pooler, Port Wentworth, Bloomingdale, Thunderbolt, Vernonburg, and Prosperity Drive in Garden City. For specific areas affected, refer to the attached map.
Water customers on Whitemarsh Island, Wilmington Island, Dutch Island, Skidaway Island, Tybee Island, Georgetown-Gateway, and customers along Little Neck Road and Highway 204 west of I-95 were not affected and are not subject to this boil water advisory.
The City has closed the following chemically untreated splashpads: Hudson Hill, Live Oak, Victory Heights, Avondale, Hull Park, Tatemville, Forest Hills and Crusader. The Ellis Square, Forsyth Park, and Savannah Gardens splashpads remain open and safe for the public to use. City operated pools at the Tompkins Regional Center, W.W. Law Regional Center, and Daffin Park remain open and safe to use.
Customers in the affected areas are advised to boil water intended for drinking, cooking, brushing teeth, and preparing baby formula until the advisory is lifted. Water should be brought to a rolling boil for at least one minute before use.
Customers should continue to boil their water until they are notified by public health or their drinking water utility that the water system has been restored to full operation and the water is safe to drink.
To properly boil water:
- Fill a pot with water.
- Heat the water until bubbles come from the bottom of the pot to the top.
- Once the water reaches a rolling boil, let it boil for at least 1 minute.
- Turn off the heat source and let the water cool.
- Pour the water into a clean container with a cover for storage.
Updates will be provided as more information becomes available at savannahga.gov/wateradvisory.
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More Information
The City’s Industrial & Domestic (I&D) Water Treatment Plant (WTP) processes approximately 50 Million Gallons Per Day (MGD) of water drawn from Abercorn Creek. The I&D plant processes the water through a carefully regulated process to produce potable water which is then distributed to customers. The process to create potable water includes the addition of aluminum sulfate (alum), a coagulant that binds particles in the water causing them to separate and be more easily removed. Calculations are performed by plant operators during the treatment process to determine the optimal amount of alum needed to treat the water. Operators monitor the process by checking the turbidity state, which is the condition or quality of opaqueness due to presence of suspended particles.