Cape boil water advisory ends before original duration

A significant portion of northern Cape Girardeau was under a boil water advisory for most of the Thanksgiving holiday.

City officials issued the order about 1:30 p.m. Wednesday after a water main break.

Originally, the advisory was to stay in place through 4 p.m. Friday, Nov. 24, but officials reported at about 10:30 p.m. Thursday that test samples were clear of contaminants and lifted the advisory.

The timing of the boil water advisory hit at Thanksgiving weekend, as families prepare for large gatherings and feasts.

Schnucks grocery store manager Rob Reddick said the timing of the advisory came too late for the store to add water and ice supplies.

“What we’ve got in stock is what we’re going to have,” he said. “We’ve already seen some people coming in buying gallons of water.”

Reddick said the store had plenty of water and ice on hand Wednesday afternoon, but he didn’t know if supplies would last. “If Thanksgiving wasn’t tomorrow, it would be different, but we’re dead in the water at this point, no pun intended.”