Boynton Beach went under a “Boil Water Advisory,” which is a government-issued notice that tells citizens that the water might be or has been contaminated. Citizens in the affected area must boil their water for at least one minute for any use whatsoever; whether it be for drinking, bathing, or even washing the dishes. This proved to be a major inconvenience to many citizens, businesses, customers, and students within the city of Boynton Beach.
The advisory went under effect on Tuesday, October 8th, and this was due to an electrical issue at one of the water treatment plants, which caused a loss of pressure for about 4 minutes. The city took this issue very seriously, as the water may have harmed people throughout the city. Many stores and public buildings in Boynton Beach went under this issue, such as the Boynton Beach Cinemark, which was unable to serve fountain drinks, advising guests to buy bottled water and soda.
In school, many water fountains were unplugged and covered with taped-down garbage bags and signs, which advised students to “NOT DRINK WATER FROM THE FOUNTAIN.” Multiple stands throughout the school gave out free water bottles to students who might have needed them, which was greatly appreciated by students on campus.
The advisory was lifted on Thursday, October 10th, in most areas throughout the city except three certain sections. Those sections are bounded by “Woolbright Road, Old Boynton Road, Lawrence Road and Military Trail; east of Federal Highway between Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Northeast Sixth Avenue; and Seacrest Boulevard east to the railroad tracks from Southeast 21st Avenue to Southeast 23rd Avenue,” according to the Palm Beach Post.
The city apologized for the inconvenience, releasing an official statement that said, “Boynton Beach Utilities apologizes for the inconvenience experienced by its customers and is working to clear the remaining areas as soon as possible.”
