The Water From My Tap is Brown

Washington, DC – December 7, 2009- The District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority (DC WASA) is issuing a precautionary boil water/bottled water advisory for a portion of Northwest DC, affecting approximately 750 buildings.

DC WASA experienced a loss of pressure around 12:00 noon on Monday, December 07, 2009. This resulted in a drop of water pressure in the vicinity of 16^th Street and Georgia Avenue, NW . A smaller neighborhood may have lost water pressure entirely, which could present a water quality problem.
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Although we do not have an indication that the water system has been contaminated, as a precaution, DC WASA recommends that you boil all water before use or use bottled water. Water should be brought to a rolling boil for one minute and cooled before using. Boiled or bottled water should be used for drinking, washing dishes, brushing teeth, making ice and for food preparation.

In addition, discard any food prepared today with water after 11:00 am. When preparing foods to eat, use the drinking water alternatives listed above or cook items that do not require water. For utensils and cooking instruments, use single-use items or those that have been sanitized. Some pathogens are not killed by alcohol gels or hand sanitizers, so soap and disinfected water are specifically recommended for hand washing.

The boil water advisory will continue until further notice, when the system is thoroughly flushed and the acceptable water quality is confirmed by water testing. This process will take at least two days. Please stay current by visiting our web site at www.dcwasa.com. DC WASA is taking all necessary steps to minimize the risk of water quality problems, including the immediate flushing of all lines in the impacted neighborhood.