Investments in advanced testing provide quick assurance water is safe to drink

The Macon Water Authority (MWA) has lifted its boil water advisory, which had been in effect for nearly three days for select customers in southeast Macon-Bibb County. The precaution is no longer necessary following the results of water quality tests from this area of the distribution system that reveal MWA tap water is safe to drink.

Late Thursday evening (Oct. 12), MWA line maintenance crews responded to repair a broken 12-inch water main near the intersection of Ocmulgee East Boulevard and Emery Highway. As a result, approximately 200 metered customers were without water for roughly 24 hours, until a temporary repair of the broken main could restore service. However, after service was restored, MWA Water Quality Lab professionals needed to conduct tests on the drinking water in this portion of the distribution system, to assure it was safe for human consumption prior to lifting the boil water advisory.

Those tests results came in sooner than normal, thanks to the Authority’s investment in advanced water quality testing through the use of a reagent called Colilert-18. This substance allows the Authority to test for total coliform and E. Coli to confirm water quality is well within safety standards. Testing with Colilert-18 is accurate, economical, and flexible, in addition to providing more rapid test results; that’s particularly important during incidents such as boil water advisories, when utilities and customers alike want to be sure tap water quality is back to normal as soon as possible.

“This (Colilert-18 reagent) allows us to run bacteriological tests that can provide results quicker, with no less accuracy than our other testing methods,” says Gary McCoy, MWA Director of Water Operations. “We invested in this innovation for these types of emergencies.”

MWA customers who have been under a boil water advisory can now rest assured that water quality throughout the utility’s distribution system has been confirmed as suitable to drink. However, should anyone have any questions or concerns over this service outage and restoration or any other water quality issue, they can contact the MWA after-hours Customer Care number at 478-464-5656.