All Town of Mason water customers are under a boil-water alert until further notice after a water outage and low water pressure Tuesday.
Town Administrator Terry Leggett issued the alert Tuesday morning. Many customers have been without water, or are experience low water pressure, since about 3 a.m.
No estimated time for full service has been given.
What customers should do
Until the town lifts the alert, customers should boil any tap water used for drinking, cooking, making ice, brushing teeth or preparing baby formula. Bring the water to a full rolling boil for at least one minute, then let it cool before using it. Bottled water is a safe alternative.
Throw out ice made from tap water since the outage began, and avoid using tap water in coffee makers, refrigerator water dispensers and ice makers until the alert is lifted. Pets should also get boiled or bottled water.
Tap water is generally fine for bathing adults, as long as no one swallows it. Wash dishes with boiled water or run them through a dishwasher with a hot dry cycle.
What happened
A message sent to water customers mid-morning said contractors installing new wells had ruptured a water line.
Prior to this message, the cause of the issue was unclear.
Mayor Eddie Noeman said in a video posted to a Mason community Facebook page that a water main had broken. The video showed crews using heavy machinery in water and mud.
Vice Mayor Reynaldo Givhan said National Water Service had been decommissioning some of the town’s water tanks Monday as part of a grant-funded project and that complications followed. He said the company had been called back and town crews had been working since 3 a.m. to fix the issue.
Service was restored around midday Tuesday, according to alderwoman Virginia Rivers.
Not the first time
In January 2024, a winter storm left nearly all of Mason without water for more than a week, followed by a boil-water advisory. The outage comes five months after the town raised water rates 5% and sewer rates 120%, effective June 1.
Mason’s water system serves about 1,300 town residents and customers in nearby unincorporated parts of Tipton County.
To report a leak or ask about service, call Mason City Hall at (901) 294-3525. City Hall, 12157 Main St., is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
