TIVERTON, R.I. — Customers of the Stone Bridge Fire District water system in Tiverton should boil their water before drinking or cooking with it after a water main break caused a loss of pressure, the Rhode Island Department of Health said Monday.

The main broke Sunday evening near William Barton Drive and Bulgarmarsh Road, and part of the system lost pressure, according to the health department. A drop in pressure can let bacteria into the pipes, and the fire district issued the precautionary notice for its entire system, the department said.

The district has repaired the break and is disinfecting the system by raising chlorine levels within safe limits, the health department said. Customers should keep boiling their water until the district finishes disinfecting, flushes the pipes and collects a day of samples free of bacteria from locations across the system. The district will announce when the advisory is lifted.

Under the advisory, water should be brought to a rolling boil for at least one minute before it is used for drinking, cooking, making ice, brushing teeth, washing dishes or preparing food, or customers can use bottled water. Infants and young children should not be bathed in the water because they could swallow it, and others should avoid swallowing water while bathing or showering, the department said.

The health department said it is also sending guidance to restaurants and other food businesses in the area.

Anyone on the system who has diarrhea along with a fever over 101.5 degrees, blood in the stool, prolonged vomiting, signs of dehydration or diarrhea lasting more than three days should contact a health care provider, the department said.

Customers with questions can call the Stone Bridge Fire District at 508-676-3526.