Live in the Haymarket area? Then you may need to be boiling your tap water, according to the Prince William County Service Authority (PWCSA).
According to a release, PWCSA is advising all residents that live north of Virginia Gateway and Atlas Walk in Haymarket to either boil their tap water or used bottled water for drinking or cooking.
“This precaution is necessary because of a loss in water pressure in the system due to a water main break in the Haymarket area. The boil water notice is due to a water main break recently discovered off University Drive between U.S. 29 and Wellington Road,” stated a release.
According to a release, the affected communities include Heritage Hunt, Piedmont, Dominion Valley, Virginia Oaks, the Town of Haymarket, Heritage Farms, Villages at Piedmont, Somerset, Hopewell’s Landing, Heathcote Commons, Gates Mill, and the Parks at Piedmont.
PWCSA stated that the notice will remain in effect for at least 48 hours so that the agency can have time for water quality testing.
A release stated that PWCSA crews are working to fix the main break, but there is no set time for the completion of that work.
More on boiling your tap water, from a release:
Boiled or bottled water should be used for drinking, beverage and food preparation, and making ice until further notice. Boiling kills bacteria and other organisms in the water. Boiling is the preferred method to ensure that your tap water is safe to drink. Bring all tap water to a rolling boil, let it boil for one (1) minute, and let it cool before using, or use bottled water.
If you cannot boil your tap water, an alternative method of purification for residents that do not have gas or electricity available is to use liquid household bleach to disinfect water. The bleach product should be recently purchased, free of additives and scents, and should contain a hypochlorite solution of at least 5.25%. Public health officials recommend adding 8 drops of bleach (about ¼ teaspoon) to each gallon of water. If using extra strength bleach (8.25% solution) add 6 drops to each gallon of water. After adding bleach, the water should be stirred and allowed to stand for at least 30 minutes before use.
The Service Authority will inform you when you no longer need to boil your water. To address this issue, the utility is working diligently to restore the water distribution system to full operation. Additionally, we are taking the necessary bacteriological samples to test the quality of the water.
For more information call Service Authority Emergency Dispatch at (703) 335-7982.
Please share this information with all the other people who drink this water, especially those who may not have received this notice directly (for example, people in apartments, nursing homes, schools, and businesses). You can do this by posting this notice in a public place or distributing copies by hand or mail.
