THE APEX TIMES
A vandalism incident at a tank belonging to the Western Pulaski County Water District caused about $50,000 in damage and led officials to issue a systemwide boil water advisory for customers, according to LEX18.
Customers of the Western Pulaski County Water District are under a systemwide boil water advisory after vandalism at one of the district’s water tanks caused significant damage and disrupted operations, district officials said Monday, according to LEX18.
The incident resulted in an estimated $50,000 in damage to district infrastructure. Officials said the damage at the tank affected the water system’s ability to operate as normal while repairs and system checks were carried out.
Because the water system may have been impacted during the disruption, the district issued the advisory instructing customers to boil their water before use. The advisory was issued specifically as a precaution to help protect public health while the district addresses the damage and confirms system conditions.
The water district did not report that the vandalism involved any deliberate contamination, but the advisory reflects standard public-safety practice when water system integrity is compromised or when water quality has to be re-verified after repairs and disruptions.
Officials said the disruption occurred at a single tank, but the advisory applies broadly to district customers served by the system. The district’s immediate goal is to restore normal operations and complete the steps needed to determine when the advisory can be lifted.
The vandalism also raises questions about public property security and the costs that such incidents impose on local utility customers through repairs and operational disruption. The district and law enforcement are expected to look into the circumstances surrounding the damage.
For affected customers, the key near-term issue is compliance with the advisory until officials announce that testing and repairs are complete and water conditions are back to normal.
