Martinsville issues boil water notice - WDBJ

Martinsville issues boil water notice

MARTINSVILLE, Va. (WDBJ) - The City of Martinsville has issued a boil water advisory until further notice due to a waterline break that has led to a cityside water outage.

The city says:

Failure to follow this advisory could result in stomach or intestinal illness.

The Virginia Department of Health in conjunction with the local Health Department, and Martinsville Water System are advising residents to use boiled tap water or bottled water for drinking and cooking purposes as a safety precaution. This precaution is necessary because a waterline break has caused parts of the city’s water distribution system to lose pressure.

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 assure that the tap water is safe to drink. Bring all tap water to a rolling boil, let it boil for one (1) minute and then 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. 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 inform you when you no longer need to boil your water.

The city is working on repairing the broken line and returning the system back into service.

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