Some sections of Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, including the base hospital and commissary as well as some housing, spent more than a day under a boil-water order in the wake of maintenance work Wednesday.
The base's Facebook page reported that the order, initially ordered in the 24 hours after an 11 a.m. drop in water pressure Wednesday, had been lifted by 6:30 p.m. Thursday.
"All water sample results have been received from a certified lab and meet state and federal standards," base officials wrote. "You may resume normal use of your publicly supplied water."
A statement from the base Wednesday afternoon said the order, issued by the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation in conjunction with the 673rd Civil Engineer Group, was required under federal law but there is "little risk of contamination." Affected parts of JBER included the Moose Crossing area and Chugach housing.
"During a scheduled maintenance on a water line, water pressure dropped below 20 pounds per square inch, triggering a mandatory notification," base officials wrote. "According to (base engineers), chlorination levels are adequate, and no contamination has been detected."
A DEC fact sheet on civilian "boil water" notices advises that people heat water for drinking and brushing teeth, as well as food preparation or cooking, to a rolling boil for two minutes before use.
"Timing starts when the water begins to bubble," DEC officials wrote. "Cool the water then place in clean containers. It is important to make sure the containers you use for storage have been thoroughly cleaned."
Water can be used for dishwashing and cleaning surfaces if it is hot and soapy, with a tablespoon of bleach added to every gallon of water as a precaution. Laundry and showering water doesn't need to be boiled, unless authorities specifically ask that people do so.
JBER spokesman Jim Hart said Wednesday that engineers were planning maintenance work on another section of water pipe in the near future, but it shouldn't trigger a second boil-water order.
"This was an unexpected pressure drop — it caught them by surprise," Hart said. "The next one, they said, shouldn't have a problem at all."