Q:

How do water departments and systems notify customers of problems with water quality?

A:

According to the Mississippi Department of Health, individual water systems (such as the Brookhaven Water Department or the Lincoln Rural Water Association) issue precautionary boil-water alerts when water pressure is lost. Water systems are responsible for notifying their customers directly using whatever means necessary when a self-imposed alert is issued.

When water testing by the MSDH Public Health Laboratory indicates problems related to water quality, MSDH immediately sends a state-issued, boil-water alert to the public via press release and its website, according to MSDH. The local water system is again responsible for notifying customers directly.

MSDH will post self-imposed alerts if individual water systems inform them. MSDH will issue press releases to radio, television and newspapers in the affected area to supplement the public notification efforts of the water system.

Jennifer Petes at the Brookhaven Water Department said in her long tenure at the water department, there has never been a city-wide boil water notice. Petes said it does not happen often, but if a notice is issued it is usually just for a street or part of neighborhood. In this case, she said, the customers are notified door-to-door.

Anson Brewer, field manager at the Lincoln Rural Water Association, said when an alert is needed, they contact the health department and they issue a press release to newspapers and radio stations. Word-of-mouth is how most people find out the fastest, Brewer said. He said they do the best they can whenever a notice is issued, adding that it’s probably been over a year since the last alert.

Brewer said the health department will advise the water systems if other measures of notification are needed, such as posting flyers on doors or public places. He said if a customer suspects a boil water notice is needed, they should call the department.

Topisaw Water Department recently had a precautionary boil-water notice due to a loss in water pressure.

Brookhaven/Lincoln County is served by the Brookhaven Water Department, Lincoln Rural Water Association, Topisaw Water Department, Bogue Chitto Water Department and partially by Jayess Water Department.