Almost 60,000 people in several municipalities and unincorporated areas in Brevard County were being advised to boil water following a water main break Thursday.

  • Melbourne water customers advised to boil water
  • Water main break lowered water pressure below state standard
  • Thousands of customers in Brevard County affected
  • Health First medical centers impacted

Water service to Melbourne water customers was temporarily "hampered," the city of Melbourne said, after a 6-inch valve off the main 36-inch valve failed Thursday, causing a big drop in water pressure and the precautionary boil water notice.

The affected areas, which include 58,146 Melbourne water customers, are:

  • Indialantic
  • Indian Harbour Beach
  • Melbourne
  • Melbourne Beach
  • Melbourne Village
  • Palm Shores
  • Satellite Beach
  • Unincorporated Brevard south of Pineda Causeway (this is only for customers who receive a water bill from the city of Melbourne — Suntree and Viera are served by the Cocoa water system)
  • West Melbourne

Health First said Friday that Holmes Regional Medical Center and affiliated centers were being affected, and it has had to close some facilities.

The closed Health First facilities include:

  • Care Coordination at Palms Point
  • Pro-Health & Fitness Center—Melbourne
  • Health First Medical Group:
    • Gateway, including the laboratory and HFnow Urgent Care. All appointments for Friday were canceled and urgent care was being diverted to Malabar and Seaside locations.
    • 1405 Pine St.
    • 1251 Hickory St.
    • 205 E. NASA Blvd.

Holmes Regional Medical Center rescheduled one of 45 surgeries slated for Friday, and outpatient procedures had been rescheduled at other locations, it said in a news release.

Melbourne water officials are advising that all water used for drinking, cooking, making ice, brushing teeth or washing dishes, be boiled. A rolling boil of 1 minute is sufficient. As an alternative, bottled water may be used.

The boil water notice was to remain in place until a bacteriological test showed the water was safe to drink. Testing was expected to begin Friday night, and results should be in by Sunday.