Hundreds Still Waiting For Clean Drinking Water In Downtown Fort Lauderdale

FORT LAUDERDALE (CBSMiami) – Hundreds of residents in downtown Fort Lauderdale are still without clean drinking water.

"Two days ago I had an eye infection, I never have an eye infection. I had an eye infection. Of course, I take showers, I don't boil the water,"

Andrews lives in one of the properties around 450 East Las Olas that have been affected.

"This is not the first time that they've done the water boiling, or whatever it is, and we're getting a little tired of it," she told CBS4.

She's disappointed it's taken so long, so are others.

"Each time you go to brush your teeth or even go to make your own coffee you're taking a risk," Elliott Flynn, who works in downtown, said.

Both residents and businesses have suffered, some turning to bottled water until the system tests come back all clear.

"This pipe was hit by a contractor, it was part of a tunnel project and that's what caused it to break," Fort Lauderdale City Manager Chris Lagerbloom said.

Regardless of why it happened, folks want to know why there have been so many advisories in recent weeks, and months. Andrews remembered dealing with one six months ago.

"I get it if somebody breaks it a pipe but truly fix it in a day or two," she said.

Lagerbloom is pleading for patience.

"Usually, it is quite quick, we're frustrated two that it's taking as long as it is taking we've got a system there that towards the end of a closed system. There's not the circulation that there might be in other parts of the city," he explained.

The city needs two passing days of test, so far that has not happened.

"So we're going to do some advanced flushing and additional chlorine application," Lagerbloom said.

For now, he recommends boiling water as crews work to lift the advisory, potentially in the next two days.