The water supply of 400,000 WSSC customers in parts of Prince George's County, Md., likely will be affected for the next few days as the County Health Department maintains its "boil water alert."
It takes 18 hours to get results from tests on water, which means water won't be deemed safe to drink until Wednesday at the earliest, following Monday's massive water main break. A 40-year-old, 54-inch main ruptured at about 3:50 a.m. and spilled 50 million gallons in about 7-and-a-half hours.
At Skyline Elementary School in Suitland Tuesday, massive of amounts of water were boiled in the kitchen. By midmorning, a shipment of bottled water arrived from Prince George's County Public Schools' Department of Food and Nutritional Services.
The water supply at 80 schools was been affected by the water main break. Bottles are being placed in classrooms to be handed out to students as needed since water fountains can not be used, said Joan Shorter, of Prince George's County Public Schools.
At the Giant in Clinton, customers stocked up on bottled water. There has been a noticeable increase in demand since the water main break.
Regina Gilmore said she checked the WSSC map to find out what areas of the county are affected and learned that Clinton is among them.
A massive cleanup is under way at the Central Hampton Business Park, where the pipe exploded Monday morning causing structural damage to the buildings that house businesses and the Ekklesia Family Life and Worship Center. The pastor surveyed the damage with an insurance adjuster Tuesday. She is making plans for where her congregation will meet. She said she has gotten offers from other churches to use their facilities.
Click here to see if you are in the area of the boil water alert.
