A boil water order in Skokie will remain in effect until at least Sunday evening, according to an update from village officials.
Officials said Sunday morning that a pipe at the burst water main was replaced, but work was ongoing at the site.
“The pipe will be placed back into service after water quality lab results are received,” the village wrote in an update to residents, noting that the affected portion of the water system has been isolated. The village asked residents to avoid unnecessary water use to help restore the water system.
The order will not be lifted until the laboratory tests confirm the water meets all quality requirements. System water pressure continued to increase Sunday morning, officials said.
The boil order went into place Friday morning following a burst water main at East Prairie Road and Emerson Street. The village told residents to boil any drinking water for at least 5 minutes, then let it cool before consuming it or using it for brushing teeth, washing dishes, making ice or cooking to kill bacteria.
Skokie residents spent hours Friday trying to prevent water from damaging their properties as homes faced flooding following the burst. Some Skokie businesses were also unable to run their normal operations due to the boil order, forcing them to close Friday. Advisories have since been handed out for both restaurants and nonfood-based businesses to help them continue operations during the order.
For residents with damaged properties, officials are preparing to seek federal and state disaster assistance. Skokie Mayor George Van Dusen and Manager John Lockerby have requested an emergency declaration related to the burst. Residents are also urged to contact the village to help track damage claims.
On Thursday, the village’s public works department was conducting an emergency repair from 2 p.m. to 2 a.m., but officials played down the connection between Thursday’s repairs and the burst.
“They certainly didn’t leave the scene with the water event that we found ourselves confronted with this morning, so I wouldn’t expect that there’s a correlation other than there was a leak of some more minor type going on,” Skokie Public Works Director Max Slankard said at a Friday news conference.