MLGW lifts boil-water advisory; chief briefs city council on performance during cold snap

David Royer
·4 min read

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The boil-water advisory issued for Memphis Light Gas and Water customers has been lifted effective immediately, the company said Tuesday afternoon.

There are no restrictions on using water. The advisory was issued late last week following a cold snap that lowered pressure in the water system.

Since the advisory has been lifted, MLGW recommends that customers do the following:

  • Turn on the main water valve if it has been closed.

  • Flush any faucet a minimum of two minutes to ensure clearing of the line serving the faucet.

  • Begin with the faucet that is highest up in your home or building and then open the other
    faucets one at a time moving from the highest floor to the lowest.

  • Discard any ice made during the boil water notice.

  • Check water filters (in faucets, refrigerators and elsewhere) and replace if necessary.

  • Owners and managers of large buildings should ensure that their entire system is flushed and that storage tanks are drained and refilled.

If the water is discolored, customers should flush water pipes by running the water until it is clear. MLGW also advises that customers should not wash their clothes if the water is discolored. Wait until the water runs clear at the tap and wash a load of dark clothes first.

MLGW president and CEO Doug McGowen provided a post-winter storm analysis of the utility’s performance Tuesday after customers were asked to cut back on electrical and water consumption during days of sub-freezing temperatures.

Recent investments in the local electrical and water systems, along with conservation efforts by customers, helped keep utility service going for most people during last week’s bitter cold and snow, MLGW’s president told the city council on Tuesday.

“Your efforts worked. You helped to blunt the demand of rising electric demand,” said McGowen, president and CEO of Memphis Light Gas and Water.

MLGW lifts conservation order; TVA hits record demand

Winter Storm Heather, as it is being called, produced the No. 1 and 2 largest peak demand periods in TVA history, on Wednesday and Sunday. That’s the result of a trend in our weather, McGowen said.

“Winters over the last few years are getting colder, longer,” he said.

But there were no significant power outages, and the small number of outages were quickly restored, he said.

There were 81 water main breaks, 13 of which were still being fixed, and there were almost 4,000 customer water line breaks all over the city.

That led MLGW to put a water conservation order and boil-water advisory in place as required by state law because of low water pressure.

MLGW lifts conservation order; boil water advisory still on for now

Still, the water situation would’ve been much worse without recent improvements to the water system, McGowen said. An investment of $85 million has been spent on water production and distribution system improvements since 2020, with 12 new wells added and eight more on the way.

MLGW has almost 4,000 miles of water mains in its system, many dating to the 1930s or before.

McGowen said there have only been three boil water advisories issued in MLGW’s history, all of them happening in the last two years. He said it is a direct result of the number of water main breaks they saw. He also cited recent polar vortexes.

“They’ve all been very recent in north America and three of them recently affected the deep south. So it is a function of the weather and the impact and some people have asked, ‘well some of our adjacent communities didn’t have that. Well, our infrastructure dates back to the 1930s,” McGowen said.

There were no interruptions in natural gas, and McGowen said gas prices this year are $15 a month lower than last year.

Bills this winter are, on average, lower than last winter — $246.42 this winter compared to $253.83 last year, according to MLGW data. While electricity rates increased, natural gas rates decreased.

“We are very focused on trying to provide value for our customers,” he said.

Grocery stores run low on goods after winter storm

While MLGW has some of the lowest utility rates compared to other metro areas, the energy burden in Memphis is one of the highest in the nation because of the area’s high poverty.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WREG.com.