LOWELL, IND. - Indiana American Water Company has completed repairs this afternoon on an 8' water main near East Commercial Avenue and North Fremont Street in Lowell, Ind. The main break, which occurred earlier today, resulted in low or no water pressures in the system while repairs were being made. By late afternoon, water was being pumped into the distribution system and pressures were expected to return to normal over the next several hours.
Because the break caused water pressure in the system to drop below 20 psi, a precautionary boil water advisory has been issued for all customers served by the company in Lowell. Customers have been notified of the break and boil advisory by phone, e-mail, and text through the company's Alerts1View emergency notification tool. Additional updates will be provided as new information is available.
Customers in the affected area are advised to drink and cook with tap water only after boiling it for three minutes. Tap water can be used for bathing, washing and other common uses. Indiana American Water estimates repairs should be completed later this morning and that water pressures in the area will begin to return to normal this afternoon, Thursday, October 6th.
The Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) mandates precautionary boil advisories to ensure high-quality water in the event water pressure drops below 20 pounds per square inch (psi) in any part of a distribution system.
According to company officials, boil advisories are issued as a precaution with a customer's best interests in mind. It's possible, but unlikely, bacteria could enter the water system when pressure in the line drops below 20 psi. Additional information on boil water alerts is available on the company's website at http://bit.ly/2xLjq53.
During the precautionary boil water advisory, the water company performs a series of tests to determine the water meets regulatory drinking water standards. Samples are taken from several sites within the affected area. Precautionary Boil orders usually last from 18 to 24 hours and customers will be notified in the same manner when the advisory has been lifted.
Indiana American Water is making free bottled water available to Lowell residents affected by the main break from 6 - 10 p.m. (CDT) on Thursday and after 8:30 a.m. on Friday at the south parking lot of Lowell High School, 2501 E. Commercial Avenue.
Indiana American Water serves nearly 4,000 customers, or a population of approximately 11,000 residents in its Lowell service area. Customers can call the Indiana American Water Customer Service Center at 1-800-492-8373 for the latest updates.
About Indiana American Water
Indiana American Water, a subsidiary of American Water (NYSE: AWK), is the largest investor-owned water utility in the state, providing high-quality and reliable water and wastewater services to approximately 1.32 million people. For more information, visit www.indianaamwater.com and follow Indiana American Water on Twitter and Facebook.
About American Water
With a history dating back to 1886, American Water (NYSE:AWK) is the largest and most geographically diverse U.S. publicly traded water and wastewater utility company. The company employs more than 6,400 dedicated professionals who provide regulated and regulated-like drinking water and wastewater services to more than 14 million people in 24 states. American Water provides safe, clean, affordable and reliable water services to our customers to help keep their lives flowing. For more information, visit amwater.com and diversityataw.com.Follow American Water on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
Contact:
Media
Joe Loughmiller
External Affairs Manager
T: 317.885.2434
E: joe.loughmiller@amwater.com
AMERICAN WATER WORKS COMPANY, INC. 
