Fairfax Water issues boil water advisory for some local customers

FAIRFAX COUNTY, Va. — Fairfax Water has issued a boil water advisory for some customers in the area.

The advisory has been issued for all customers who are north of Herndon, south of Route 7 and west of the Fairfax County Parkway.

Click here to view a full map of the affected area.

Fairfax Water is advising customers to boil their drinking water until further notice due to a valve failure that resulted in a loss of pressure to a portion of its distribution system.

Customers in other areas of Fairfax Water’s system and customers served by the Town of Herndon are not affected and do not need to boil their water.

The advisory is being issued “out of an abundance of caution,” the county said, due to the loss of pressure in the system, and specified that it is not due to a water quality issue. 

Instructions for how to proceed if you are impacted by the advisory are as follows: 

• Bring water to a rolling boil for 1 minute.

• Allow the water to cool before using.

• Store the cooled water in a clean container with a cover.

Customers should use boiled water that has cooled or bottled water for:

• Washing fruits and vegetables

• Preparing food and baby formula

Fairfax Water has already repaired the valve and service has been restored to all impacted customers, they specified. 

“Water samples will be collected in the impacted area for bacteriological testing and to monitor chlorine levels,” Fairfax Water said via press release. 

Currently, the estimate is that the advisory will end on Monday, Nov. 15. The advisory will be in effect until Fairfax Water and the Virginia Department of Health’s Office of Drinking Water confirm that the samples collected in the impacted portion of the system meet water quality standards.

For more information, customers can contact Fairfax Water at 703-698-5800 or go to www.fairfaxwater.org. Customers can also email customers@fairfaxwater.org, or contact the Virginia Department of Health’s Office of Drinking water at 804-864-7500.

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