Water line break in south Brevard triggers boil water alert for beachside residents

MELBOURNE, Fla. – The city of Melbourne has declared a beachside boil water alert for residents and businesses from DeSoto Parkway in Satellite Beach northward to the Pineda Causeway in South Patrick Shores.

A "sizable" beachside water line break was reported Thursday morning, reports News 6 partner Florida Today.

"Water pressure in the area has dropped below the minimum system requirements as work is underway to search for the cause. Therefore, as a precaution, we advise that all water used for drinking, cooking, making ice, brushing teeth, or washing dishes, be boiled. A rolling boil of one minute is sufficient. As an alternative, bottled water may be used," Melbourne utility officials announced about 11 a.m.

Satellite Beach City Manager Courtney Barker said "we have gotten calls all morning" from residents reporting low water pressure, starting at about 7 a.m.

Cheryl Mall, Melbourne city spokeswoman, said utility crews are still trying to locate the water main break. She will release more information later.

Melbourne supplies drinking water across to roughly 150,000 residents across southern Brevard, including Melbourne, West Melbourne, Melbourne Beach, Indialantic, Indian Harbour Beach, Satellite Beach, Palm Shores, Melbourne Village and adjacent unincorporated areas.

The boil water alert also affects a small portion of Indian Harbour Beach north of DeSoto Parkway in the Lansing Island area, City Manager Mark Ryan said.

Beachside residents who spot a large amount of water or notice anything unusual should call Melbourne utility officials at 321-608-5000.

For questions or to report anything unusual, beachside residents should call Melbourne's public Works and utilities administration office at 321-608-5000 (daytime) or 321-255-4622 (after-hours).

In September 2016, Melbourne's beachside water supply got knocked offline for about three days after lightning struck the John A. Buckley Surface Water Treatment Plant near Lake Washington. 

In April 2014, residents of Indian Harbour Beach, Satellite Beach and South Patrick Shores experienced a boil water alert for four days after a water line broke during a fire hydrant replacement project between the old Our Club Health & Fitness and Atlantis Urgent Care on State Road A1A in Indian Harbour Beach.


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