UPDATE:
Montgomery County has just extended the boil water notice that was put in place on Monday.
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According to Montgomery County’s official site, the boil water notice will continue at least through next weekend, which would be October 12-13. This allows the Virginia Department of Health - Office of Drinking Water (VDH-ODW) time to flush all local systems, which will begin in Christiansburg, then move to Blacksburg Virginia Tech, and then the rest of Montgomery County.
The VDH-ODW must also disinfect all storage tanks before they can take their final samples, and the disinfection of each tank must be staggered, meaning they can’t be cleaned at the same time. This is to ensure continuous water capacity. The process can take at least 74 hours per tank, which is why the process can take multiple days to complete.
Montgomery County has also said that customers may experience water discoloration while the flushing/cleaning process continues. This is normal, and the water is still safe after being boiled according to the instructions that have already been listed. They also stated that the water is safe for showering, bathing, cleaning, washing clothes, and washing dishes.
More information will be given as soon as it is made available.
ORIGINAL STORY
Montgomery County has announced a boil water notice for many of its residents.
Authorities have stated that drinking or using tap water for food preparation without boiling it for the time being may result in intestinal illness. It is recommended that you bring tap water to a rolling boil for at least one minute to kill possible bacteria before letting it cool. If possible, you should use bottled water.
The following areas are advised to boil their water:
- Blacksburg
- Christiansburg
- Virginia Tech
- Montgomery County Public Service Authority Waterworks
If you do not have bottled water or are unable to boil your water, Montgomery County has recommended the following:
- Safely 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. The water should be stirred and allowed to stand for at least 30 minutes before use.
- Water purification tablets may also be used by following the manufacturer’s instructions.
We will update you when this water boil notice is lifted.