originally posted on December 7, 2016

GAINESVILLE, Va. — A water main break on University Drive, between Route 29 and Wellington Road in Gainesville has prompted utility officials to order residents to boil water.

Affected communities are located north of Virginia Gateway/Atlas Walk, and include (among others):

— Heritage Hunt

— Piedmont

— Dominion Valley

— Virginia Oaks

— Town of Haymarket

— Heritage Farms

— Villages at Piedmont

— Somerset

— Hopewell’s Landing

— Heathcoate Commons

— Gates Mill

— Parks at Piedmont

Crews are still working to repair the water main break, but water has been restored to all affected homes, according to a Service Authority spokesman.

From the Prince William Service Authority:

The Prince William County Service Authority is advising residents to use boiled tap water or bottled water for drinking and cooking purposes as a safety precaution. This precaution is necessary because of a loss in water pressure in the system due to a water main break in the Haymarket area. This Boil Water Notice will remain in effect for a minimum of 48 hours to provide adequate time for water quality testing. As more information becomes available, customers in the affected area will be notified.

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 ensure that your tap water is safe to drink. Bring all tap water to a rolling boil, let it boil for one (1) 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. If using extra strength bleach (8.25% solution) add 6 drops to each gallon of water. After adding bleach, the water should be stirred and allowed to stand for at least 30 minutes before use. 

The Service Authority will inform you when you no longer need to boil your water. To address this issue, the utility is working diligently to restore the water distribution system to full operation. Additionally, we are taking the necessary bacteriological samples to test the quality of the water.

For more information call Service Authority Emergency Dispatch at (703) 335–7982.

Updated:

From the Prince William Service Authority:

Crews are assessing the water main break today, but it is highly unlikely that repairs will start this week. Due to lower winter time water demands, isolating this location has no impact on our ability to serve water to our customers. The main that failed is an 18” main that passes under I-66.

Updated December 8, 2016

From the Prince William Service Authority:

The Prince William County Service Authority is pleased to report that water sample test results collected in the Haymarket area did not reveal any bacterial contamination. Customers in the affected area may resume normal water use. 

As required by the Virginia Department of Health, bacteriological samples were collected over the course of two days and all samples tested negative for the presence of bacteria.

We apologize for the inconvenience and thank you for your patience.