WASHINGTON, D.C. NEWS – Boil water advisory in D.C. and Virginia issued due to cloudy water
Zoe Mckey, Staff Writer
A boil water advisory affecting all of Washington, D.C., and most of Arlington County, Virginia, was lifted on Thursday morning after being in place for about nine hours. The advisory, issued late Wednesday night, was a precaution due to increased turbidity caused by a large algae bloom in the Potomac River and the reservoir that supply the area’s water. Officials from D.C. Water and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced that regular testing confirmed the water remained within Environmental Protection Agency standards, leading to the advisory being lifted. This was the first widespread boil water warning in D.C. in nearly 30 years, the last occurring in 1996 around the July Fourth holiday.
The advisory had a significant impact, affecting key locations such as the Pentagon, Arlington National Cemetery, and Reagan National Airport. John Lisle from D.C. Water explained that the advisory was issued out of caution to ensure fire emergency personnel had access to sufficient water and to manage the increased demand during the holiday. Although the cloudiness in the water does not pose direct health risks, it can interfere with disinfection processes and promote microbial growth.
