Hamlet, Indiana Under Boil Order

We've all pulled a few pranks and done stupid things. In a small town like Hamlet, Indiana, these pranks can go a bit further than originally expected with some dire consequences. And, being a small town where gossip goes round and round until only a shred of truth is left, it's no surprise that lots of misinformation exists concerning the Boil Order in Hamlet, Indiana. In the name of reality, let's just clear up a few facts.

Why no references? Hamlet is my home town and I am very well aware of how easily gossip can get started and cause problems. So, when I write about Hamlet, I don't mention names of people I've interviewed unless they specifically ask me to. This helps me to present unbiased information. Since names of people interviewed tend to lend a certain validity to the written word, you might be tempted to doubt what I write. That's your right, of course. I'm still not changing my policies, but you're free to believe nothing or everything I write.

What's a Boil Order? A Boil Order, like the one in effect in Hamlet, Indiana is an order that directs residents to boil their water before they use it for ingesting purposes. In other words, don't drink it unless it's been boiled. Personally, I just went and bought water to be safe. You can also get your water from someone who lives outside of town and doesn't depend on the town water supply, since this is what was damaged.

What are the dates of the Boil Order? The Boil Order is in effect until Wednesday, March 2, 2011 pending approval after water testing. Let's all try to play well with others and not flood the town hall with calls about the details. The water tests have been submitted, but the lab takes 24 hours to do the test. Testing is done during business days only, so tests sent in Friday won't be tested until Monday. That means the first test will show results on Tuesday.

Why is Hamlet, Indiana under a Boil Order? Finally, we get down to the question on everyone's mind. Hamlet is under a boil order because the water towers were drained. The water towers were drained Thursday night when some person(s) decided it would be fun to open 2 fire hydrants on a back road here in Hamlet, Indiana. I realize it has been stated that more than 2 hydrants were opened, but that information was false. At any rate, opening those 2 hydrants had the effect of draining both of the water towers in Hamlet.

To further understand the Boil Order, think about a fish tank. Imagine that you drain it completely. You wouldn't add the chemicals, then put fish in it as soon as there was enough water because there wouldn't be enough water for the chemicals to be diluted to safe levels. The water in the water towers work under a similar, though more complicated premise. So, just do yourself a favor and boil your water.

Why wasn't the area patrolled? I've heard people ask in outrage why this area of town was not patrolled by the Hamlet Police Department. The answer is that normally, the back roads and fire hydrants aren't the main concern of the police department. They're probably a bit more concerned about things like the businesses in town or the activity on the highways.

I'm sure who ever did this has no idea they were going to drain the towers. Perhaps they were simply hoping that the water would land on the road and form one big sheet of ice. Maybe they wanted to go ice skating or cause some mischief. Or, maybe they just didn't have anything better to do. Whatever the reason may be, the results are the same and Hamlet, Indiana is under a Boil Order until at least Wednesday when the test results confirm that the water is safe to consume without boiling. In the meantime, perhaps now would be a good time to start offering our juvenile some more entertaining forms of hobbies than opening fire hydrants.

References: Personal experience, Hamlet Town Hall