Update: The boil water advisory was lifted on Sunday. “All tests show water safe to drink and use for other activities,” the Arlington Department of Environmental Services said at about 1:40 p.m.
Previous reporting: Residents in several Arlington, Virginia, neighborhoods should boil their water before consuming as a precautionary measure after a water main broke on Friday, officials said.
“Advisory is out of an abundance of caution due to pressure loss,” the Arlington Department of Environmental Services said.
Here’s a map of the affected areas, which include parts of Alcova Heights, Arlington Heights, Arlington Mill, Arlington View, Barcroft, Claremont, Columbia Forest, Columbia Heights, Douglas Park, Forest Glen, Foxcroft Heights, Green Valley, Fairlington, Penrose and Shirlington.
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Water should be heated to a rolling boil for a full minute if it will be used for drinking, preparing baby food or formula, brushing teeth, washing fruits and vegetables, making ice and giving to pets, officials said.
The Virginia Department of Health has a tip sheet on how to handle boil water advisories.
Northern Virginia
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A 16-inch water main broke at South Walter Reed Drive and South Four Mile Run Drive on Friday morning, causing water pressure to drop. Some 50,000 Arlington residents started the day with low or no water.
"I turned on the kitchen sink and I got nothing, nothing at all," one resident said. "Not even a hissing or anything, just nothing."
She then texted her neighbors and asked them if they had water.
"They said, 'Oh, none of us have water. There was a big water main break.' And I was like, 'What a way to start a Friday''," she said.
Water was restored to nearly all residents quickly, but about 50 people in the immediate area of the break still didn't have water as of late Friday afternoon.
When pressure in pipes drops, it could allow bacteria or other pathogens to enter the water supply. Officials are expected to test the water to check whether any contamination occurred.
The boil-water advisory will be in effect for 48 hours as required by the Virginia Department of Health, meaning the advisory could expire as soon as Sunday morning.
The break and boil water advisory also forced several schools to close, as well as the Fairlington Community Center.
Officials say the water main break should be fixed by late Friday, but the road repairs could take until Monday.
