LAKEPORT, Calif. – A collision between a car and a fire hydrant in north Lakeport on Wednesday necessitated a boil water notice for Special Districts customers in the area.

The California Highway Patrol reported that a sedan hit the hydrant in the area of Park Way, just west of Lakeshore Boulevard, at about 7:43 a.m. Wednesday.

There were no injuries to anyone in the vehicle, the CHP reported.

However, Special Districts Administrator Mark Dellinger said the car knocked the hydrant off, which had to be reinstalled. The hydrant was replaced about mid-afternoon Wednesday.

Dellinger said approximately 153 customers in County Service Area 21, which covers north Lakeport, were affected.

Water to those customers was restored by about 9 a.m., he said.

Lake County News was contacted by a resident of the area who reported the water from his faucets was cloudy and brownish Wednesday morning.

According to California Department of Public Health guidelines, whenever water supply is lost – even for a brief time – a district must issue a boil water notice as a precaution, Dellinger explained.

That's what Special Districts did in this case, issuing the notice to the affected residents in the southern part of CSA 21, mostly along Park Way and Oak Park, who were served by the 6-inch water pipe that feeds the hydrant, he said.

No commercial customers were impacted, just residents, Dellinger said.

“We had a few complaints but we responded to those,” he said.

Dellinger said Special Districts also notified Supervisor Anthony Farrington of the situation.

Special Districts will have to take samples before the notice can be lifted, which Dellinger estimated should happen within 24 to 36 hours of the incident.

“This should be straightened out by Friday,” he said.

Dellinger said it's difficult to assess how much actual damage the crash caused. He said the matter will go through the county's risk management process.

Dellinger said Special Districts hasn't had to issue a boil water notice since last August, when construction to increase the size of a water main in downtown Kelseyville caused low water pressure and, in some cases, resulted in no water for some Kelseyville and Finley customers.

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