CHARLOTTE, NC (WBTV) – A boil water advisory issued last week for parts of Caldwell County was lifted for all on Monday, officials announced.

A burst water main prompted authorities to issue a precautionary boil water notice near Granite Falls on Friday, Aug. 23. The “major water main break” occurred on U.S. 321 in Granite Falls, which also led to the highway being closed in the afternoon, the county reported.

The boil water advisory was issued for Granite Falls and all Caldwell County water customers in the southern part of the county. On Sunday, August 25, the advisory was lifted for Granite Falls Water Department customers and county water customers in southern Caldwell County.

On Monday, August 26, the warning was lifted for the Riverbend Community near Granite Falls.

Officials said the water has been “thoroughly” tested and is safe for public consumption. The water no longer needs to be boiled before using it for eating, drinking, cooking, cleaning, etc.

Why was a boil water advisory issued?

Boiling water is often recommended after a burst water pipe, as the pressure loss caused by the burst may increase. A loss of pressure in the water pipe can mean that the water becomes contaminated, possibly with harmful bacteria.

Boiling water can kill harmful substances or bacteria. For this reason, there are instructions on boiling water.

For more information on the CDC’s boil water recommendations, click here.

Once a boil advisory is lifted, affected customers will be encouraged to flush their pipes with the potentially contaminated water by running your cold tap water for about a minute before using it.

Hot water pipes and water heaters should be flushed for several minutes, usually at least 15 minutes for a 40-gallon water tank, to remove potentially contaminated water.

If you have automatic ice dispensers, consider throwing away the existing ice and replacing it with new ice after your pipes are flushed.

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