A boil water advisory has been issued for much of Northwest D.C

• Discard any drinks or ice prepared before Friday, January 19, 2024 at 11 a.m.
• Run cold water until it runs clear (if discolored) before boiling.
• Run cold water for 2 minutes if known sources of lead are present before boiling.
• Bring the water to a boil for one minute and leave to cool.
• Store cooled water in a clean, covered container.

Chilled, boiled or bottled water should be used to:

*Do not use home filtration devices in place of boiled or bottled water.

DC Water said it has received calls from customers in the Northwest experiencing low or no water pressure. The agency “evaluated the system and confirmed low pressure at multiple locations within the affected area.”

She added that crews are still trying to figure out what happened and restore pressure.

The big problem, according to DC Water, is that the loss of pressure in the system can cause “back pressure, back siphonage, or the net movement of water from the outside of the pipe to the inside through cracks, breaks, or joints in the distribution system that are common to all water systems.” .

This means, although serious, that there could be “fecal contamination or other pathogenic organisms that could enter the distribution system.”

“Bacteria and other disease-causing contaminants such as viruses and parasites can cause symptoms such as diarrhea, cramps, nausea, headaches or other symptoms,” DC Water said. “They may pose a particular health risk to infants, young children, some older adults, and people with severely impaired blood circulation.” immune system.

The agency said you should seek medical advice if you develop symptoms.

Tests will be conducted on the water as DC Water continues to investigate.

DC Water said the advisory will be lifted “when tests on two consecutive days show no bacteria and all customers can continue to use water normally, which we expect to be Sunday, January 21 at the earliest.”