Windstorm blamed for water system disruption in Roberts

ROBERTS — The powerful windstorm that swept across east Idaho last weekend led to a loss of pressure in the city of Roberts’ water system, prompting a temporary drinking water advisory that has now been lifted.

The advisory was issued Saturday after the windstorm caused power fluctuations and outages that disrupted the water system. Officials said the drop in pressure — below 20 pounds per square inch — created conditions in which contamination could enter through backflow or back-siphonage.

RELATED | Water advisory in Roberts has been lifted; residents can ‘resume normal use of the water system’

City leaders believe the issue may have been tied to erratic power conditions during the storm. As outages occurred, the city’s generator attempted to compensate. One possibility is that the generator and restored power came online at the same time, triggering master breakers to trip and affecting the system.

Roberts’ water samples were collected Monday morning and tested as a precaution. Results confirmed there was no contamination, and the advisory was lifted on Tuesday.

The water advisory issued in Arco last Thursday due to low pressure has also been lifted.

Residents in both towns can now resume normal use of the water, including drinking, cooking and bathing.

City officials thanked the public for their patience and cooperation during the advisory.

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