St. Paul residents told boiling tap water is unnecessary

By Christina Munnell

St. Paul residents got the all-clear from boiling their tap water on Sunday, after a water main ruptured on Friday evening, officials said.

Breaking just before midnight on Friday, the streets of downtown St. Paul were flooded with 1.75 million gallons of water when a 20-inch water main broke, the Star Tribune reported.

Residents were asked to boil tap water due to potentially harmful chemicals in the water, officials said.

According to the Pioneer Press, workers investigated the cause of the water leakage and have not yet determined problem.

"We may not know, ever, but we'll take a look and see," city production distribution manager Jim Graupmann said. "Usually, it's corrosion. It's weakened to the point where (the pipe) can't stand the pressure that's in the main.

Residents no longer need to take caution and boil tap water, as "the broken pipe is fixed and that water testing shows no contaminants in the system," officials said in the Star Tribune.