HAYMARKET, VA — (WMAL) Several hundred homes in the Haymarket and Gainesville areas of Prince William County are experiencing low water pressure due to a water main break Tuesday evening. As a result, the County Service Authority has issued a Boil Water alert for residents of a dozen communities for at least the next 48 hours.
In addition, Prince William County Schools advise that no schools will be closed as a result of the water main break, but they are asking parents to send children to school with bottled water for their own personal use. About 10 schools are impacted by the break.
Here is the official Boil Water notice from the Service Authority:
The Prince William County Service Authority is advising residents of communities located north of Virginia Gateway/Atlas Walk in the Haymarket area to use boiled tap water or bottled water for drinking and cooking purposes as a safety precaution. This precaution is necessary because of a loss in water pressure in the system due to a water main break in the Haymarket area. This Boil Water Notice will remain in effect for a minimum of 48 hours to provide adequate time for water quality testing. As more information becomes available, customers in the affected area will be notified.
DO NOT DRINK TAP WATER WITHOUT BOILING IT FIRST
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.
Affected communities are located north of Virginia Gateway/Atlas Walk, and include (among others):
Heritage Hunt
Piedmont
Dominion Valley
Virginia Oaks
Town of Haymarket
Heritage Farms
Villages at Piedmont
Somerset
Hopewell’s Landing
Heathcoate Commons
Gates Mill
Parks at Piedmont
Copyright 2016 by WMAL.com. All Rights Reserved. (PHOTO: PWC Service Authority)
