Water main break puts Lake Helen residents on a boil water notice

UPDATE OCT. 13: As of 2:15 p.m. Oct. 12, the boil water notice has ended for both cities.

A water main break caused Lake Helen to lose water pressure citywide Friday, Oct. 8, according to city officials. 

The loss of pressure puts all Lake Helen and Cassadaga residents on a boil-water notice “until further notice,” according to the city website.

City Commissioner Kelly Frasca, who is currently attending municipal officer training in Orlando, told The Beacon that on Friday, realizing there was a water main break somewhere in the city, Lake Helen city commissioners, the mayor, and city staff took to the streets searching for the leak in the middle of torrential rains.

City Commissioner Jim Connell was out searching in his truck near the Lake Helen Equestrian Center on Pennsylvania Avenue when he was flagged down by a young boy who was training at the center for an athletic event.

“He said, ‘hey, there is a bunch of water coming out of there,’ and sure enough, there was a bunch of water coming out of there,” Connell told The Beacon.

The valve was then shut off, but not before water pressure dropped below safe levels.

Officials are waiting for the results of water testing reports before canceling the boil-water notice.

Getting the word out about the boil-water notice also took a group effort, as commissioners took to Facebook, and city staff updated the city website and marquee outside of Lake Helen City Hall.

This story will be updated as more information becomes available.