We know what a boil water advisory is and what to do – but it’s what many customers don’t know that concerns some water safety advocates.
The News4 I-Team has been covering D.C.’s efforts to replace tens of thousands of dangerous lead water pipes that go to homes and businesses. DC Water has already replaced 7,000 lead pipes. But that’s just 16% of those that need to be removed.
What DC Water says in boil water advisories – like the advisory issued in Northeast on Tuesday – is especially important for customers with lead pipes, the I-Team found.
If there’s any lead in your water, the lead level increases when you boil it, according to the CDC and EPA.
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Advocates say there’s a solution: Filter the water and then boil it. DC Water sometimes misses that crucial part of instructions to the public, the advocates say.
“It’s really critical that people understand that filtering is absolutely necessary,” said Paul Schwartz with the Campaign for Lead Free Water.
Boiling your water will kill any waterborne pathogens present after a decrease in water pressure, Schwartz said. But for customers with lead pipes, there is still cause for concern if they don’t also filter their water, he said.
“If you’re using the water for cooking or drinking or reconstituting formula, after you’ve boiled it and you haven’t filtered it, then you could be really adding harm upon harm,” Schwartz said.
DC Water said in a statement to News4: “The EPA has clear guidance regarding the use of filters during a precautionary Boil Water Advisory. DC Water is closely following those recommendations, while avoiding additional instructions that may create confusion.”
What the I-Team found in DC Water’s boil water advisories
DC Water's advisories have been inconsistent in addressing when customers should filter their water.
In a boil water advisory for parts of Northeast on Tuesday, DC Water said customers should run their cold water for two minutes if known sources of lead are present and then boil the water. But they did not suggest filtering the water.
DC Water gave the same instructions after a loss of water pressure in some Upper Northwest communities on Jan. 19.
But the next day, after advocates say they contacted the utility, DC Water released a new advisory saying, “Do not drink the water without first filtering the water [if a source of lead is present] and then boil it.”
DC Water should consistently include in boil water advisories that water needs to be filtered as well as boiled, Schwartz said.
“We just need to make sure that that's embedded in every boil water advisory that comes out. This one for Northeast should be changed today and reflect the earlier language that DC Water has used in Ward 4,” he said.
DC Water said in their statement to News4 that there’s no harm if a customer chooses to filter their water before boiling it or after it has cooled.
Some D.C. residents have lead pipes but don’t know it. That’s why the Campaign for Lead Free Water would like to see DC Water advise customers to use lead-certified filters, which greatly reduce or eliminate lead. Go here to learn about lead-reducing water filters.
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Here’s DC Water’s full statement: “When providing information to the public about a precautionary Boil Water Advisory, it is important to be consistent with the EPA's guidance in the interest of clarity and public health. The EPA has clear guidance regarding the use of filters during a precautionary Boil Water Advisory. DC Water is closely following those recommendations, while avoiding additional instructions that may create confusion. Additionally, the drinking water supplied by DC Water remains below lead exceedance levels and lead levels do not increase following water main breaks given that our large water mains contain no lead. There is no harm if a customer chooses to filter their water before boiling or once cooled. However, customers should be aware, until the precautionary Boil Water Advisory is lifted, water must be boiled to ensure it is safe to use and filtering alone (without boiling) does not conform to EPA standards following water main breaks and loss of pressure.”
