Significant equipment failure at the Danville water treatment plant is causing closings of schools and businesses and boil orders for some customers.
Aqua Illinois said in a news release that due to recent harsh weather, the water treatment plant and the water system has been under extreme stress. Aqua is experiencing limited service disruptions and decreased water pressure.
Danville schools closed early Thursday. Danville and Westville schools are doing e-learning Friday, so the students do not have to go to school buildings. Danville officials say the decision also was made due to forecasts of high winds, below zero wind chill temperatures, and accumulating snow. Danville city Hall and the Public Works Building are also closed. The normal garbage collection will not be affected by the closing. While City hall is closed, employees are working remotely and can be reached via email. If you need assistance, call the main line (217.431.2200) during regular business hours. Danville Area Community College also closed early Thursday, and the Vermilion County tournament game was moved to Bismarck.. Golden Nugget Danville casino and Saltgrass Steakhouse also were closed Thursday evening due to the water situation.
OSF Sacred Heart Medical Center officials said they are following Aqua’s guidance for conserving water, but operations are continuing fine. OSF Medical Group locations moved patient appointments to video visits today.
Aqua says that while it has no indication of water quality issues, it is issuing a precautionary Boil Water Advisory for some customers. One advisory affects customers in the Eastgate area, including customers east of Daisy Lane, Brewer Road, and Markley Street. Another boil order is for customers North of Boiling Springs Road and on West Newell Road South to airport, and at N. Vermilion Street to N. Bowman Ave. Customers in the areas listed above should boil their water at least FIVE minutes before using or use bottled water. They should use boiled or bottled water for drinking, making ice, washing dishes, brushing teeth, and food preparation until further notice. If boiling water, bring it to a rolling boil, let it boil for five minutes, and let it cool before using.
Aqua said that it is working around the clock to address the issue, and the reduced service will continue until the problems are fixed. Customers are urged to conserve water, using it only as necessary.
