Petersburg officials issue boil water advisory in vicinity of Sunday water line break
PETERSBURG — The Virginia Department of Health, in conjunction with the Petersburg Health Department and Petersburg Utilities Division Water System, advises residents in the Bank and Sycamore Streets area who recently were without water due to a water line break to use boiled tap water or bottled water for drinking and cooking purposes as a safety precaution. This precaution is necessary because a water line repair resulted in loss of pressure.
Public Works crews worked diligently since the water line break happened on Sunday, October 1 to make the repairs and the water has been restored, however, the City issued a boil water notice as a preventative measure to protect the health of the community from water borne infectious agents. Failure to follow this advisory could result in stomach or intestinal illness.
The City's website lists steps to take during a boil water notice. First, create a supply of water for cooking, drinking and tooth brushing by boiling water for 2-3 minutes. Then cool the water and place it in clean containers for use or refrigerate it.
Hot soapy water can be used for dishwashing and kitchen/bathroom surface cleaning. As a precaution, one tablespoon of bleach per gallon of water can be added. Water does not need to be treated for doing laundry. Unless otherwise instructed, water for showering does not need to be treated.
If water is not safe for drinking because of bacteria, hand washing with soap and water followed by disinfection with an alcohol-based disinfectant is recommended.
For inquiries related to water usage, residents and businesses can call 804-733-2407. Visit petersburg-va.org or follow Petersburg’s social media channels for updated information. Visit cdc.gov for a fact sheet about what to do during a boil water advisory.
Public Works will issue a press release when water no longer needs to be boiled. To address this problem, they are flushing the system, sampling for chlorine and completing the required bacteriological testing. They anticipate resolving the problem within 24 to 48 hours.
For more information, contact Jerry Byerly, Petersburg Director of Public Works, at jbyerly@petersburg-va.org or 804-733-2320.
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This article originally appeared on The Progress-Index: Petersburg officials issue advisory: 'Boil all drinking water'
