Memphis Light, Gas and Water has issued a precautionary boil-water advisory for parts of northwestern and southeastern Shelby County. 

“There’s no evidence of any water quality issues in any of those areas,” said MLGW President and CEO Doug McGowen. 

It’s a precautionary measure the utility is required to take if water pressure drops below a certain threshold. There’s no evidence of contamination, but MLGW is required to ask customers to boil water for at least one minute before drinking it.

Customers who know or suspect they have any lead service lines should run water for 30 seconds before boiling it. 

The advisory affects about 15% of MLGW customers. 

One of the affected areas stretches from the Tennessee-Mississippi state line all the way to Walnut Grove Road; at its widest, it stretches from Airways Boulevard to Forest Hill Irene Road.

MLGW asks customers to conserve water

The other stretches from the Mississippi River near Meeman-Shelby Forest State Park to Highway 51 near Millington.

As soon as water returns to normal pressure, MLGW will send samples to a state laboratory. Results should take about 24 hours. Then, MLGW has to share those results with the state for approval to lift the advisory. 

“It’s unfortunate that we have to do this, but this is a byproduct of an extended cold period that’s resulting in those broken residential, commercial and water distribution mains,” A few hours prior, MLGW urged customers to conserve water indefinitely — an order that’s still in effect — and stop dripping faucets temporarily to combat low water pressure.

It’s the result of four consecutive days of bitter winter temperatures straining local water infrastructure. 

Following MLGW’s guidance, many Memphians have been dripping their faucets since earlier this week to avoid frozen and broken pipes. All those dripping faucets can add up to an extra 10 million gallons used used every day, but it’s encouraged to prevent pipes bursting and spewing out even more water.

“I want you to know that we will get through this. We are in much better shape than we were last year and significantly better shape than we were the year before because of the investments that we have made in our water system.”

Doug McGowen
MLGW president and CEO

Despite those efforts, McGowen said MLGW has received more than 1,000 reports of broken pipes in homes and businesses, and at least 27 water mains have broken since last weekend.

Like the December 2022 ice storm, industrial fire protection systems are another major source of water loss, but MLGW said it’s worked with property owners and the Fire Department since the last storm to better monitor those sites. 

MLGW has encouraged owners of unoccupied properties to check for leaks, and if they do find one, to shut their water off at the street.

Customers can call 901-528-4465, MLGW’s emergency hotline, to report a water leak.

“I want you to know that we will get through this,” McGowen said. “We are in much better shape than we were last year and significantly better shape than we were the year before because of the investments that we have made in our water system.”