Skokie residents and businesses on Sunday marked the third day of a boil order following a massive water main break that flooded streets, garages, closed schools and businesses. NBC Chicago’s Courtney Sisk reports.
Update: The boil order was lifted Sunday evening. Find the latest developments here.
Skokie residents and businesses on Sunday marked the third day of a boil order following a massive water main break that flooded streets, garages, closed schools and businesses.
A boil order was set to remain in place until at least Sunday evening. According to the village of Skokie, water samples from 70 locations were given to a testing lab on Saturday evening. Water quality testing was underway in accordance with Illinois EPA requirements.
Samples need to come back clean in a 24-hour span before the boil order can be lifted.
Meanwhile, the village posted requirements for restaurants attempting to operate under the boil order.
"The Skokie Health and Human Services Department advises that all food establishments preparing food on-site must close immediately, if they cannot fully comply with the following mandatory precautionary measures," a memo stated.
Requirements include using boiled or bottled water for drinking, food preparations, cooking and dishwashing.
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Establishments cannot use soda dispensers, coffee machines or any equipment connected to the water supply unless specifically designed for boil orders.
Drinking fountains that rely on water supply are also supposed to be shut off. A list of requirements can be found here.
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The water main break occurred on Valentine's Day and President's Day weekend, creating hardship for restaurants that rely on holiday business.
“We had 140 reservations, we had to call everybody [to cancel]," said Marcos Rivera, owner of Libertad in downtown Skokie. "Right now is kind of our slow season so everyone looks forward this bump, especially small businesses. It kind of gets us through until we get to spring."
Rivera said Valentine's Day was set to be his restaurant's busiest day this year.
He estimated they lost more than $15,000 in sales from the holiday.
Libertad was also offering a special menu Friday, requiring them to order food that was not normally on the menu.
"We brought in filet mignon, we brought in oysters, bone marrow," Rivera said. Those ingredients could not be cooked and cannot be returned.
Libertad re-opened Saturday. They had 100 reservations, but 40 canceled.
Now, they're doing what they can to follow the boil order guidelines.
Each table has bottled water for drinking. Rivera ordered canned soda, turned the faucets off and was making trips back-and-forth from the store for multi-gallon water jugs for cooking and food prep.
"We went back to hand washing all our dishes, hand washing all our glasses," he said. "So we went back a couple decades to make it work, but you know we made it through.”
Other small businesses in downtown Skokie closed for two days.
"It was terrible," said Madeleine England, who owns Kneads and Wants Artisan Bakery and Café with her wife and son. "It did impact all of our beverages, so people were coming in and just walking out some of them, especially the morning people because Friday is a work day.”
She said Valentine's Day orders were canceled with residents leaving town.
"Saturday is one of our busiest days of the week and it was a holiday weekend, so we had to cancel all of the brunch orders people had pre-ordered," she said.
However, the community came out to support when the bakery partially reopened Sunday.
"I really appreciate the community’s support, it’s really important and it’s going to be what gets us through here," she said.
England said she does wish the village communicated better with business owners, especially those who don't live in Skokie and get alerts.
“I wish their was better communication," she said. "I don’t think all businesses got this information of what they’re supposed to do.”
Spokespeople at EJ's Place agree.
Their restaurant is on day three of closing, and say they will not reopen so long as the boil order is in effect.
EJ's Place told NBC 5 News in a statement: "EJ’s Place has a great responsibility to generations of clientele that we keep them safe, and we are not confident that the restaurant guidelines provided by Skokie under this boil water advisory are realistic or safe for any operator. No restaurant can properly mitigate the risk at scale within these guidelines. Additionally, guidelines have not been shared for reopening. We appreciate the patience of our clientele, and we will reopen when it is safe & responsible to serve the public."
NBC 5 reached out to the village for reopening guidelines for restaurants once the boil order is lifted, but have not heard back as of Sunday afternoon.
