Boil Water Order Issued for Casco Bay Islands After Water Main Break

The precautionary order impacts Great Diamond Island and four surrounding communities.

Published on Mar. 1, 2026

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A water main break on Great Diamond Island has led the Portland Water District to issue a boil water order for Great Diamond as well as the surrounding Casco Bay communities of Peaks Island, Little Diamond Island, House Island and Cushing Island. The order went into effect on Friday at 11 a.m., and customers are being directed to boil water for one minute at a rolling boil before drinking, washing food, making ice cubes, brushing teeth, or in any other activity involving consumption.

Why it matters

Water main breaks can pose a serious health risk if the water becomes contaminated, so boil water orders are a common precautionary measure to protect public health until the issue can be resolved and water safety is confirmed.

The details

According to a press release from the Portland Water District, water samples will be collected and results will be available in approximately 24 hours. Updates will be posted at www.pwd.org/water-advisories. Boiling water kills bacteria and other organisms that could potentially be in the water, the notice said.

  • The boil water order went into effect on Friday, February 20, 2026 at 11 a.m.

The players

Portland Water District

The public water utility serving the Portland, Maine metropolitan area.

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What’s next

The Portland Water District will collect water samples and provide an update within 24 hours on the water safety.

The takeaway

Boil water orders are a common precautionary measure used by water utilities to protect public health until water quality can be confirmed following a water main break or other disruption to the water supply.