Indiana American Water Seymour Operations responded to a water main break Tuesday morning on South O’Brien Street near Tipton Street.
Crews have been working throughout the day to repair the main, which caused significant water pooling in the area, according to a news release from Joel Reuter. He is the external affairs manager for Indiana American Water.
As of 1 p.m. crews were finishing repairs, but eight customers were placed on a 24-hour boil water advisory, he said.
January Rutherford, Information Specialist with the City of Seymour said O’Brien St. will be reopened by 5 p.m. tomorrow (Wednesday).
Due to the break causing water pressure in the system to drop below 20 pounds per square inch, customers have been notified of the boil advisory by phone, email and text through the company’s Alerts1View emergency notification tool.
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.
The Indiana Department of Environmental Management mandates precautionary boil advisories to ensure high-quality water in the event water pressure drops below 20 pounds per square inch in any part of a distribution system, according to the news release.
In this particular incident, local social media channels showed a picture of a motorist who appeared to have attempted to cross the water pooling area, Reuter said.
Indiana American Water advises motorists to always avoid crossing water over roads because even shallow water can sweep vehicles away, posing significant risk to safety, he said.
Additionally, submerged roads may hide hazards like potholes or debris that can damage vehicles and or potentially cause accidents.
In an unrelated matter, a boil water advisory has been issued in Seymour in the area of Second Avenue and Pine and Lynn streets, affecting 44 customers. This advisory also was issued earlier Tuesday for a schedule distribution tie-in project. This advisory also is expected to expire Wednesday.
Additional updates will be provided on “Alerts,” on indianaamwater.com as new information is available. Customers can also sign up for alerts through their “MyWater” account.