What to Do During a Kirksville Boil Advisory

If Kirksville issues a boil advisory, the active City notice controls.

Do not rely on an old article, social-media screenshot or remembered rule when the City has published instructions for the current event.

What a boil advisory means

The City describes a boil advisory as a public notice telling customers to boil tap water before consuming it.

An advisory can follow:

• an event that may affect water quality;
• a known water-quality problem;
• loss of positive pressure.

A serious water-main break is one example that can create a precautionary pressure-related advisory.

Precautionary does not mean confirmed contamination

Loss of positive pressure can create conditions that allow contamination to enter the distribution system.

That risk can be enough to trigger an advisory while testing is performed.

Do not describe every precautionary advisory as proof that contaminated water was detected.

Avoid ingesting unboiled tap water

During the advisory, follow the City's current instructions for water used for:

• drinking;
• food preparation;
• beverages;
• ice;
• tooth brushing;
• other ingestion.

The City directs residents to current CDC boil-water guidance for detailed household-use instructions.

Appliances can still use tap water internally

Remember that tap water can feed:

• refrigerator water dispensers;
• ice makers;
• coffee machines;
• other connected appliances.

Follow the active advisory and manufacturer/CDC guidance for those devices rather than focusing only on the kitchen faucet.

Some non-ingestion uses may continue

The City's general guidance notes that some activities such as handwashing and laundry can continue during a boil advisory.

The current event notice and CDC instructions still control.

Do not assume every possible household use has the same risk profile.

Do not assume the advisory ends after exactly 48 hours

The City explains that it allows about 48 hours for sample testing.

That is a testing window, not an automatic expiration timer.

The advisory remains in effect until the City officially lifts it.

Watch official City alerts

Kirksville's alert system can send notices by configured channels such as:

• text;
• email;
• phone.

During an active event, check City sources for:

• affected area;
• cause;
• start time;
• testing updates;
• lift notice.

If your water looks or smells unusual

A scheduled advisory and an unusual water condition may be related, but do not guess.

If the water condition falls outside the active notice, contact Public Works.

The current Public Works number is 660-627-1291.

Keep the distinction clear

A boil advisory is a temporary water-use instruction.

It is not the same thing as the City's separate periodic disinfectant conversion between chloramines and free chlorine.

For that process, see Why Kirksville Sometimes Changes How Its Drinking Water Is Disinfected.

The safest rule during an advisory is straightforward:

follow the live notice until the City says the advisory is over.