JAY — North Jay Water District put out a boil-water order Monday morning, effective until further notice.

The areas affected are Route 4/Main Street (south) from New England Public Warehouse, Look Brook Circle, Route 17, Old Jay Hill Road, Purington Road and Mountain View, all in North Jay, district Treasurer Ronald Moreau said.

A crew is working on waterline repairs and hopes to have the water back on soon, he said.

District representatives and a Maine Rural Water Association representative found the leak Monday morning just south of the New England Public Warehouse, water district Superintendent Mike Wells said. The district had been searching for the leak since Sunday.

The leak drained the district’s reservoir, which can hold about 300,000 gallons.

Once the reservoir was empty, the district drew water from the Wilton Water and Wastewater Department, which supplies water to the district.

Wilton department Superintendent Clayton Putnam said it is estimated about 200,000 gallons were drawn from Wilton’s system from 2 a.m. Sunday until around 10 a.m. Monday to the North Jay meter pit.

“We did throttle back the valve supplying North Jay on Sunday in order to lessen the amounts,” Putnam said.

Once water returns, the North Jay district is required to bring samples to a laboratory in Augusta to be tested for E. coli and coliform bacteria, Moreau said. The district will make an announcement when customers can stop boiling water.

Affected customers should boil water for one minute, according to Wells. That includes water that they plan to drink, use to brush their teeth and make ice cubes. After the water is boiled, it can be refrigerated.

dperry@sunmediagroup.net

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