It’s been an interesting day or two — a brief water outage, followed by nothing, and then this morning the word came out that you should boil water you use to drink, cook, brush teeth, use in baby formula, give to your pets and more. Even for making coffee, a coffee maker won’t get it hot enough.
DC Water does say it’s precautionary, it’s possible contaminants got into the water supply, but there’s no evidence that happened — to be on the safe side you should boil.
The original area for the boil advisory was nearly half the city, but DC Water just released a new interactive map with a smaller area. It’s useful to be able to zoom in and see if you’re in the area. It still includes most of our area, but at least it’s smaller than before.
It’s unclear when the issue will be resolved, but the Washington Post says it’s expected to last a day or two.
Follow DC Water on Twitter to get the latest — they’re actually updating it now, unlike last night.
The full advisory is below. Note that the map above is the most up to date.
DC Water Issues Precautionary Boil Water Advisory
July 13, 2018
The District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority (DC Water) advises customers to boil their water for cooking and drinking until further notice if they live within the area that is bounded by the following:
* The north is bounded by Western Avenue to Massachusetts Avenue to Nebraska Avenue to Military Rd to Missouri to New Hampshire Avenue.
* To the east by Eastern Avenue
* To the South by New York Ave to K St to Whitehurst Freeway, and
* To the west by Canal Road to the Clara Barton Pkwy.
Map of Affected Area:
https://www.dcwater.com/sites/default/files/2nd%20High%20Boil%20Water%20Area_V2.pdf
They should also boil their water if they experienced low water pressure or had no water after 8:30 p.m. on July 12. If customers do not have water service, they are advised to boil water when service is restored. If customers did not experience low water pressure and do not live in the affected area, customers do not need to boil their water.
On Thursday, July 12, at approximately 8:30 p.m., an open valve at Bryant Street Pumping Station resulted in a loss of pressure in portions of our distribution system for about an hour. A loss of pressure in the pipe system makes it possible for contaminants to enter the water. Due to this loss of pressure, as a precaution, affected customers are advised to boil their water until further notice. To minimize risk, customers should follow the instructions outlined below.
Customers should:
* If water is discolored, run the tap until clear, prior to boiling.
* Bring water to a rolling boil for 3 minutes.
* Allow water to cool before using.
* Store cooled water in a clean container with a cover.
Customers should use cooled, boiled water or bottled water for:
* Drinking
* Brushing teeth
* Preparing and cooking food
* Making ice
* Preparing infant formula
* Giving water to pets
The valve problem was corrected and pressure has been restored. Our teams will continue to test samples of the water and we will lift the advisory when we determine the water is safe. Customers will be notified immediately when the advisory is lifted. If you are concerned about your health or the health of your family, please consult your health care provider. Please share this information with everyone who drinks this water, especially those who may not receive this notice directly (for example, people in apartments, nursing homes, schools, and businesses).
For more information, visit www.dcwater.com, or read the FAQs at https://dcwater.com/boilwaterFAQ. You may also contact DC Water Customer Service at 202.354.3600 or the 24-Hour Command Center at 202.612.3400.
