The boil water advisory currently affecting Memphis Light, Gas & Water’s entire coverage area is expected to last into next week.

MLGW CEO Doug McGowen said Saturday evening that while 36 water main leaks and over 2,000 leaks in homes and businesses have been repaired, there are still plenty more fixes to be made and identified by the more than 100 MLGW crews looking for leaks.

An exact timeline for the end of the advisory cannot yet be estimated, but an update on the situation will be provided Sunday.

“The focus of our efforts today and tomorrow are on finding and repairing water main leaks, as well as leaks in people’s homes and businesses,” McGowen said. “We will continue that effort 24/7 until we have found all of those leaks.”

McGowen noted that as the temperature warms up and more ice begins to melt Sunday, more leaks are likely to be discovered. When that happens, MLGW will have a more accurate timeline for complete restoration of water pressure. But it’s a long process to ensure the water is safe to drink.

“Once the pressures are above 20psi, we can begin testing the water at our laboratory,” he said. “We’ll have to wait 18 to 24 hours for the cultures to come back, and then we can send those results to the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation so we can lift that boil water advisory, which I anticipate will happen into next week.”

More: Memphis’ yearly Arctic blast hasn’t been punishing, but the next days depend on the people

This marks the second year in a row that Memphis has undergone a city-wide boil water advisory. Regardless, McGowen said that substantial progress has been made to prevent pressure loss in future winter storms. MLGW is producing 20% more water than just two years ago, which he attributes to wells that are no longer freezing up. Far fewer fire protection systems have burst compared to last year as well.

“Our system is working very well,” he said. “Wells are producing water, treatment plants are treating it and the pumps are pushing it out at a very high volume.”

More: Snow days in Memphis: A mix of blues, basketball and playing with man’s best friend

About 15% of customers are confirmed to have low pressure, predominantly in the northwestern and southeastern parts of Shelby County. As fixes are made, McGowen said pressure fluctuates throughout MLGW’s entire coverage area − hence the city-wide advisory.

As Memphians wait for drinkable water to return, multiple sites across the city are providing cases of water daily. If you need to boil water, ensure than it remains at a full boil for at least a minute, and is stored in a tightly sealed container.

Jacob Wilt is a reporter for The Commercial Appeal. You can reach him at jacob.wilt@commercialappeal.com.

This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Boil water advisory in Memphis to last into next week