A boil water order has been issued for those on the Saint John municipal water system in the Harbourview Subdivision.

The city said Thursday it was advised by the Department of Health to issue the order following an infrastructure failure.

Streets impacted by the order include:

• Aberdeen Avenue
• Brookside Court
• Dewar Street
• Eden Street
• Fay Street
• Granville Crescent
• Harbourview Drive
• Lucas Street
• Ocean Drive
• Oxford Place
• Redrock Court
• Seward Crescent
• Stillview Court

Officials said the presence of low chlorine means that disinfection may not be effective and thus there may be bacteria in the water that can cause illness in humans.

These organisms can cause diarrhea, cramps, nausea, headaches or other symptoms, and may pose a special health risk for infants, young children, some of the elderly, and people with severely compromised immune systems.

“Organisms in drinking water are not the only cause of the symptoms above. If you experience any of these symptoms and they persist, you may want to seek medical advice,” the city said in a news release.

All water destined for drinking, preparing infant formulas and juices, washing fruits and vegetables, cooking, brushing teeth and dental hygiene should be held at a rolling boil for at least one minute.

It is not necessary to boil water used for other household purposes such as bathing, showering, laundry or washing hands and dishes. You should avoid swallowing the water when bathing or showering.

No word yet on how long the boil water order will remain in place for.