Northeast DC boil water advisory lifted after three days
A boil water advisory issued by D.C. Water was lifted Friday morning after being issued on Tuesday when water pressure dropped in parts of Northeast D.C.
The water provider said in a news release that the “conservative measure” was put in place on Tuesday to protect public health in case the drop in water pressure allowed pathogens to enter the tap water. After testing water samples from multiple locations in the affected area, D.C. Water verified that the drinking water was safe.
Affected areas include: River Terrace, Mayfair, Eastland Gardens, Kenilworth, Deanwood, Central Northeast and Anacostia Park, according to D.C. Water.
Officials are now telling the nearly 3,000 affected residents to run cold water taps for 10 minutes if they didn’t use any water during the advisory and to discard any food, beverages or ice that could contain water that was not boiled during the advisory.
On Tuesday morning, D.C. Water began receiving calls from affected areas reporting low, or no water pressure. Pressure loss can cause contaminants to enter the water system, including bacteria, viruses, parasites and other risks. Later that evening, the water provider rerouted water flow and slowly increased the pressure to homes. Workers also isolated a water main they believed was the primary source of the leak and started making necessary repairs.
Water customers with questions are advised to call D.C. Water Customer Service at 202-354-3600 (Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.) or the 24-Hour Command Center at 202-612-3400.
Information is also available at D.C. Water’s website.