Boil water advisory issued in Ocean Shores after major water main break

A boil water advisory is in effect in Ocean Shores after a contractor struck a major water main Thursday, causing a significant loss of water pressure in part of the city.

Residents in the area should boil their water before using it for drinking, cooking, or brushing teeth to kill bacteria and other contaminants.

When a water system loses pressure or a main is shut down, contaminants can potentially enter the system.

The city said the system must be repressurized and flushed before water samples can be tested to determine whether the water is safe to drink.

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According to the City of Ocean Shores, Ripple Fiber was conducting underground boring operations on Nov. 12 when the contractor struck a 16-inch city water main about nine feet underground. The break caused a loss of water pressure in the southern portion of Ocean Shores.

City crews have since repaired the damaged main and restored water pressure, but officials said it will continue to advise residents in the area to boil their water until it can be tested for contamination.

Officials expect laboratory results Saturday afternoon. If the samples meet safety standards, the city said it will lift the advisory and notify residents. If additional testing or corrective action is needed, the advisory will remain in place.

Until then, people within the affected area should continue following boil-water precautions.

The city said the emergency response was also complicated by a nationwide Microsoft service outage that interfered with its ability to access its emergency notification system. Ocean Shores instead worked with Grays Harbor Emergency Management, which used its RAVE notification system to send calls and text messages to people in the area.

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The city said it has since added additional authentication and access options for its emergency notification system.

Crews worked throughout Thursday repairing the main and flushing the affected water system.

Bottled water will continue to be distributed at the back entrance of the Public Works yard on Canal Drive until the advisory is lifted.

Ocean Shores said the contractor responsible for damaging the main will be held financially responsible for eligible costs associated with the incident. The city plans to seek reimbursement for expenses including repairs, equipment, labor, and emergency response costs.

The city said it will post updates on its website and on social media.