Update 3 p.m. Oct. 2: The advisory will last for at least “several more days,” officials said Wednesday. Read the full story here.
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Update 5:55 p.m. Oct. 1: The New River Valley Water Authority on Tuesday said it anticipates that the boil water notice will continue through the weekend.
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The New River Valley Water Authority on Monday issued a boil water notice for residents of Montgomery County, including those in the towns of Blacksburg and Christiansburg and at Virginia Tech.
The water authority said historic flooding on the New River has created “challenging water quality conditions.” The remnants of Hurricane Helene over the weekend brought the river to flood levels not seen since 1940.
Boiling water kills bacteria and other organisms in the water, and drinking tap water without boiling it first could cause stomach or intestinal illness, the authority said.
“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,” the authority said. “Use caution boiling water; let water cool before attempting to move the container to avoid spills, scalds and burns. Boil amounts of water that you can safely handle.”
If a person is unable to boil water, an alternative method is to use recently purchased household bleach that is free of additives and scents and has a hypochlorite solution of at least 5.25%. Add eight drops of bleach, or about one-quarter of a teaspoon, to a gallon of water, stir it and let it sit for 30 minutes, the authority said.
Water purification tablets can also be used, the authority said.
The authority said around noon Monday that it anticipates resolving the problem within the next 24 hours by adjusting the additives that it uses to treat the water.