Advice on boiling is generally precautionary in nature and not unheard of. DC Water implemented at least two such advisories this year — once in May and another in January. But Wednesday’s advisory was significant in its broad scope.
The alert affects all customers in the District, the Pentagon, Arlington National Cemetery and Reagan National Airport, according to DC Water, which also sent warnings to residents via text message.
Arlington also issued a countywide boil water alert due to the same problems at Washington Water Supply, saying customers may notice their water appears cloudy or cloudy. (Residents in the Willston Pressure Area, a small part of the county bordering Fairfax County, are not subject to the advisory.)
“Remove any drinks and ice made after 9:00 p.m. on Wednesday, July 3, 2024,” DC Water said in a press release. He also advised against using home filtration devices instead of boiled or bottled water.
In the half hour after DC Water sent push alerts to residents’ phones, dozens of people rushed to the Safeway on 14th Street SE in Capitol Hill. Cars pulled into parking spaces and people rushed inside to load carts with water bottles before the store closed at midnight.
Hours earlier, the store’s liquor aisles were well stocked for the Fourth of July celebration. Within just 20 minutes of the alert, the shelves had already been cleared of water rope cases, although many 12-packs and 24-packs of 16.9-ounce bottles remained.
After the Army Corps notified DC Water of the increased turbidity, the agency initially reduced water production at the Dalecarlia Water Treatment Plant. But to meet current water demand and ensure there is sufficient water supply for possible firefighting activities on July 4, the agency decided to resume pumping water from the Dalecarlia plant despite the possibility of increased turbidity. spokesman John Lisle said in an email.
Arlington County said its advisory will remain in place until further notice, while DC Water said the advisory will remain in effect “until follow-up testing confirms the water is safe to drink.” Lisle said any lifting of the advisory would likely depend on “conditions in the Potomac, the amount of rainfall” and the Washington Waterworks’ ability to manage the turbidity.
The National Park Service and the D.C. Department of Parks and Recreation did not immediately respond to questions about whether the advisories would affect access to public water sources and swimming pools when higher-than-usual numbers of people gather in the District for Independence Day events.
The region is under a heat warning starting at noon, according to the National Weather Service, with expected heat index values of 100 to 105.
#Arlington #issue #boil #water #advisories
Image Source : www.washingtonpost.com
