250 Northwest Blvd. Suite 203
Coeur D’Alene, Idaho, 83814
System Name and PWS ID#: Gem State Water Bitterroot/Rickel-#ID1280260
Important Information about Depressurization Events from Gem State Water
A portion of our water system experienced depressurization today due to a broken water main. All service has been restored. We would like you to know that Gem State will be thoroughly flushing the lines, and coliform bacteria tests will be collected from the water system with in 24hrs.
Because your health is important to us, we want to explain in greater detail the steps we have and will continue to take to protect our water supply during a depressurization event. We would also like to inform you of the measures you may choose to take to protect your health should another pressure loss event occur.
Even well designed and operated water systems such as ours may experience pressure loss (depressurization events) from time to time. When a significant pressure loss occurs, there is a potential for back flow or cross connection contamination to occur in the water system’s distribution system, thus initiating an opportunity for contaminants to be drawn into the drinking water supply. We have done our best to limit this potential through the implementation of our cross-connection control program.
While we have established these preventative measures to significantly diminish the potential for contamination, it is not possible for any public drinking water system to completely rule out the potential for contamination during a depressurization event. This potential for the introduction of microbial and chemical contaminants into the water system may pose a special health risk for people with weakened immune systems (immuno-compromised persons), children and the elderly. If such contamination were to occur it may cause symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, cramps, headaches, or other symptoms.
If you are concerned about the potential for contamination due to a depressurization event, please consume bottled water. (Boiling your water may not be an effective method to ensure that you are protected from all potential contamination).
Although water service has been restored, we anticipate clearing this notice by August 17th, to provide time for the laboratory to return our sample results If at that time test results indicate that coliform bacteria contamination has occurred, we will notify all water users.
If you have questions or concerns regarding our drinking water, please contact Gem State at www.gemstate-water.com , or by phone at 1.877.755.9287.
This notice is being sent to you by Gem State Water
PWS ID #:ID1280260. Date distributed: 8/15/2022
If we did not have any pause in our water at all should we still be worried and just use bottle water the next couple of days?
Hi Sheree! We provide the warning to the entire system as a precaution. The chance of contamination is small since we isolated the break and flushed for a lengthy time after the line was repaired but we like to exercise caution as a just in case! Never hurts to wait for sampling if it isn’t a huge inconvenience to do so 🙂 Hope you have a nice night and thank you for reaching out. ~ Leslie