For immediate release: September 28, 2007 (07-163)

Contacts:
Donn Moyer, Communications Office 360-236-4076
Tim Church, Communications Office 360-236-4077

OLYMPIA - The Kayak Estates water system near Stanwood lost water pressure today. As a precaution, the 361 affected households are being asked to boil their water.

Snohomish Public Utility District (PUD), which operates the water system, was delivering notices door to door to residents in the area surrounding Kayak Point Golf Course late this afternoon. The affected area is bordered by 172^nd Street NW, 66^th Avenue NW, 140^th Street NW and Puget Sound.

The precautionary boil-water advisory is being issued because a loss of pressure can allow contaminants to enter a water system. The pressure loss occurred during routine maintenance on a storage tank when a valve was inadvertently left open.

Water pressure has been restored, but Snohomish PUD will keep the boil-water advisory in place until it is able to test the water and be sure that it is safe to drink.

“It’s important to let people on this water system know what’s happening,” said Bob James, manager of the state Office of Drinking Water’s Northwest Region. “The Snohomish PUD is doing a good job spreading the word to their customers. They’re taking proper precautions. We’ll work with them for the next few days to help them get the situation resolved.”

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