New River Valley Regional Water Authority boil water notice FAQs
From: Communications and Marketing
Q. I consumed water prior to the boil water notice being issued on September 30. Was it safe?
A. Per the New River Valley Regional Water Authority, water that was treated up to when the boil water notice was issued met the regulations. However, water that was working its way to the system as the boil water notice was issued did not meet the regulations. Per the New River Valley Regional Water Authority, it takes time for the water to make its way out into the system, which is why they issued the boil water notice when they did out of an abundance of caution for our community’s public health and safety.
Q. Do I need to boil my water for my coffee?
A. Yes. You will need to heat your water to boiling (212 Degrees Fahrenheit) for at least a minute prior to consuming it.
Q. Can I wash my dishes in the tap water? Or do I need to boil it first?
A. You do not need to boil your water prior to using it to wash your dishes. You can wash your dishes with hot tap water using anti-bacterial soap. The Virginia Health Department states you can use your tap water to wash and rinse the dishes as you normally would using hot water. Or, you can choose to add a tablespoon of household bleach such as Clorox to a sink full of warm tap water and soak the rinsed dishes in the water for at least one minute. After you wash the dishes, allow dishes and utensils to air dry completely before reuse.
If you use an electric dishwasher, but be sure to use it with its heating elements turned on. If your dishwasher reaches a final rinse temperature of at least 150 degrees Fahrenheit (66 degrees Celsius) or if it has a sanitizing cycle option, it is generally safe to use. If you are unsure if your dishwasher has these features, after a washing cycle, you may rinse your dishes in a sink full of warm tap water with a tablespoon of bleach added and air dry completely for extra precaution.
Source: https://www.vdh.virginia.gov/drinking-water/boil-water-faqs/
Q. If I have a private well, do I need to boil my water?
A. The boil water notice issued by the New River Valley Regional Water Authority applies to their customers. The New River Valley Regional Water Authority supplies water to the Town of Blacksburg, the Town of Christiansburg, Virginia Tech, and the Montgomery County Public Service Authority. If you own a private well and have questions about your water supply, please contact the Montgomery County Health Department at contactnrhd@vdh.virginia.gov or 540-585-3300.