A precautionary boil water alert has been issued for customersof the Franklin County Water Association from the MississippiDepartment of Health.

The alert, which was issued Monday, is not expected to be inplace long, according to Keith Allen, engineering servicessupervisor for the health department. The notice affects allcustomers east of Eddiceton.

A break in the water line caused the system to lose pressure,and contaminants can by siphoned back into the water when thisoccurs.

Public health officials consider any system that loses pressurecontaminated until tests prove otherwise. The department of healthrequires all water lines to maintain a minimum pressure of 20pounds per square inch to avoid incoming seepage.

“All lines leak, but usually they leak out,” Allen said. “Atless than 20 psi, low pressure could pull things in. The dangerthere is you just don’t know where the leak is.”

Health officials are, therefore, recommending that customersvigorously boil their water for one minute before consumption untiltests can be made and confirmed.

Test results of the water are expected sometime between Thursdayand Monday, depending on when the lines were repaired and the testsamples made, Allen said. Before the test samples could be made,the line had to be repaired and flushed.

“If they accomplished all that Monday, they should knowsomething by Thursday,” he said, adding that if the results werenot sent to the health department yesterday it may be Monday beforethe results can be finalized because of the holiday.

“But there are a lot of factors to consider, so it would be hardto estimate when they would know something,” Allen said.

Customers will be notified when tests show that the water issafe to drink.

Calls to the water association Tuesday were unanswered.