POWAY, Calif. (KGTV) -- Poway's boil water advisory could be lifted by the end of the week, according to city officials.
Tests conducted on Tuesday showed no signs of bacteria in the water, but the city kept the advisory in effect per state protocols. The testing will continue on Wednesday and Thursday.
The city must also flush out the entire distribution system, which means it will have to push all water out the system and fill it with new water coming in, according to Jessica Parks, Senior Management Analyst with Poway's Public Works Department.
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A boil water advisory was issued for the city on Saturday, Nov. 30, after city officials learning the drinking water supply was compromised during the recent storm.
Many residents started reporting discolored water coming out of their faucets and showers on Friday, Nov. 29. Some say the city initially said the water was fine, but they then issued the advisory on Saturday.
"Tell people it's safe, then 24 hours later say, 'Just kidding, it's not safe'... it's frustrating and it's scary," said Poway resident Chris Olps.
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Parks said that happened because their tests on Friday showed nothing wrong with the water. However, on Saturday, they noticed that rainwater got gotten into the water supply, so they alerted the state, which triggered the boil advisory.
Parks called the advisory “precautionary.”
"We believe the water entered our clear well through a pipe," she explained. "Usually, what happens when the clear well overflows, it flows into the storm drain and pushes a door open. Somehow that door got ajar, and instead of water being pushed out, the storm well filled up, and the stormwater went into the clear well."
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Parks added, “We're not sure how it happened, but we guarantee it won't happen again because it's sealed shut. It's not opening anymore."
The city will continue to hand out bottled waters to families that want it until the boil water advisory is lifted.
