Following a water main break in the Loudoun County town of Purcellville, local residents are being advised to boil water before consuming it.
Tap water should be boiled before drinking it, using it to make ice or cooking with it. Residents should bring all tap water to a roiling boil, let it boil for one minute, and then cool it before using.
Purcellville will analyze the tap water for bacteriological samples by mid-day Thursday and will advise at that point if the tap water is safe.
If residents cannot boil water for some reason, water can be purified by adding liquid bleach or water purification tablets.
According to the Purcellville news release, the bleach should be recently purchased, free of additives and scents, and should contain a hypochlorite solution of at least 5.25 percent.
Public health officials recommend adding eight drops of bleach (about ¼ teaspoon) to each gallon of water. The water should be stirred and allowed to stand for at least 30 minutes before use.
