All water customers in the city and areas served water by the city are being advised to use boiled tap water or bottled water for drinking and cooking purposes until further notice.
The advisory is being issued by the Virginia Department of Health, in conjunction with the City of Danville Health Department and the City of Danville Utilities Division of Water and Wastewater Treatment. The notice is precautionary, but is necessary due to the problems encountered in treating the water as a result of the recent heavy rains in the service area.
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 minute and let it 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.
Failure to follow this advisory could result in stomach or intestinal illness.
The water treatment plant staff is working continuously to adjust the treatment process to produce acceptable water quality. The recent rainfall has made treating the water difficult. The city will inform customers when they no longer need to boil their water.
The water may be turbid/muddy and at a lower pressure than normal until the situation is corrected.