Utility expects Metro-East boil order to last until Friday

BELLEVILLE, Ill. (AP) - Illinois American Water says it expects a boil water order for the Metro-East area near St. Louis to be lifted Friday in the early afternoon.

Illinois American issued the boil order Wednesday after water main breaks in the area, which includes Belleville, East St. Louis, Alorton and Washington Park among other towns. The boil order also affects utilities and communities that buy water wholesale from Illinois American.

Illinois American officials said Thursday morning that the utility will notify when the boil order is lifted and until then customers should still bring water to a rolling boil for five minutes before using it for drinking and cooking. The utility said it has teams collecting water samples and completing water quality testing.