LAFAYETTE, La. (KLFY) — Lafayette Utilities System has issued a boil water advisory for some Lafayette residents.

LUS issued the advisory for homes and businesses in the areas north of South College Road, south of Willow Street, west of East Pinhook Road and east of Bertrand Drive in a news release early Thursday afternoon.

Only three shut their doors Thursday because of the boil water advisory, but most restaurants are still open in Downtown Lafayette. Those were Pamplona’s, Vestal Restaurant and Spoonbill Watering Hole & Restaurant.

“Customers in the affected area need to vigorously boil their water for at least one (1) full
minute prior to drinking, making ice, brushing their teeth, using it for food prep, or rinsing food.
The one-minute starts after water has been brought to a rolling boil,” the release said.

LPSS schools in the affected area include Baranco Elementary School, W.D. & Mary Baker Smith Career Center, E.J. Sam Accelerated School, LeRosen Preparatory, Paul Breaux Middle School and Lafayette Middle School. Schools will be in session Friday, according to LPSS.

Meals will be served and bottled water will be provided, if needed. Students are encouraged to bring a bottle of water if they can do so. Restrooms will be functioning as normal and LPSS said the only issue is that water cannot be consumed until the boil water advisory has been lifted.

Myrtle Place Elementary School was dismissed earlier Thursday because of the break in the waterline and will also be impacted by the boil water advisory. A decision regarding school being in session Friday will be made later Thursday evening.

The Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Office is activating protocols at both of its correctional facilities as a result of the boil advisory. Staff at the Lafayette Parish Correctional Facility in Downtown Lafayette and the Direct Supervision Unit on W. Willow Street will be providing safe drinking water to offenders as well as temporarily switching all offender meals to meals that do not require any water in their preparation.

The University of Louisiana at Lafayette will remain open, according to Eric Maron with the Office of Communications and Marketing. Café Fleur de Lis and the Food Court at Agnes Edwards Hall will be closed, and regular meal service will continue at the dining hall in the student union.

There will be no fountain drink service; bottled water and soft drinks will be available. Maron encourages students to avoid using water fountains or the attached water bottle filling stations.

The advisory is in effect until further notice.

“To ensure water safety and quality, the advisory will remain in effect until water pressure is
normalized and collected water samples are cleared by the Louisiana Department of Health Office of Public Health,” the release said.