Update: October 11, 1 p.m.:
Effective immediately, the Virginia Department of Health's Office of Drinking Water (VDH-ODW) has lifted the boil water advisory for all New River Valley Regional Water Authority service areas, including Alleghany Springs, Elliston, Lafayette, and Shawsville.
It is no longer necessary to boil your water for cooking and consumption. For information on how to flush your home, restaurant or business, visit montva.com/boil-water-lifted.
Again, the boil water advisory has been lifted for all New River Valley Regional Water Authority service areas:
- Oct. 11: Alleghany Springs service area (Montgomery County PSA)
- Oct. 11: Elliston service area (Montgomery County PSA)
- Oct. 11: Layfette service area (Montgomery County PSA)
- Oct. 11: Shawsville service area (Montgomery County PSA)
- Oct. 10: Town of Christiansburg – all service areas
- Oct. 10: Town of Blacksburg
- Oct. 10: Virginia Tech
- Oct. 9: Bethel service area (Montgomery County PSA)
- Oct. 9: Mud Pike service area (Montgomery County PSA)
- Oct. 9: Plum Creek service area (Montgomery County PSA)
- Oct. 9: Riner service area (Montgomery County PSA)
- Oct. 7: Prices Fork service area (Montgomery County PSA)
- Oct. 7: Belview service area (Montgomery County PSA)
- Oct. 7: Peppers Ferry Road Corridor (Town of Christiansburg)
- Oct. 7: Cambria Street service area (Town of Christiansburg)
Update: October 10, 7:30 p.m.:
Effective immediately, the Virginia Department of Health’s Office of Drinking Water (VDH-ODW) has lifted the boil water advisory for the following areas. Customers in these areas will be contacted directly by their service provider.
The boil water advisory has been lifted for:
- Town of Blacksburg
- Virginia Tech
The boil advisory remains in effect for the Alleghany Springs, Elliston, Lafayette, and Shawsville service areas for Montgomery County PSA customers.
To determine if the advisory has been lifted in your service area,
visit this interactive map or call VA211.
For information on how to flush your home, restaurant or business, visit
montva.com/boil-water-lifted.
Service areas no longer under the boil water advisory:
- Oct. 10 (7:30 p.m.): Town of Blacksburg
- Oct. 10 (7:30 p.m.): Virginia Tech
- Oct. 10 (2:05 p.m.): All service areas in the Town of Christiansburg
- Oct. 10: All services areas in the Town of Christiansburg
- Oct. 9: Bethel service area (Montgomery County PSA)
- Oct. 9: Mud Pike service area (Montgomery County PSA)
- Oct. 9: Plum Creek service area (Montgomery County PSA)
- Oct. 9: Riner service area (Montgomery County PSA)
- Oct. 7: Prices Fork service area (Montgomery County PSA)
- Oct. 7: Belview service area (Montgomery County PSA)
- Oct. 7: Peppers Ferry Road Corridor (Town of Christiansburg)
- Oct. 7: Cambria Street service area (Town of Christiansburg)
Update: October 10, 2:05 p.m.:
Effective immediately, the Virginia Department of Health’s Office of Drinking Water (VDH-ODW) has lifted the boil water advisory for the following areas. Customers in these areas will be contacted directly by their service provider.
The boil water advisory has been lifted for:
- Town of Christiansburg - all service areas.
The boil advisory remains in effect for the Town of Blacksburg, Virginia Tech, and the remainder of Montgomery County PSA customers.
To determine if the advisory has been lifted in your service area,
visit this interactive map or call VA211.
For information on how to flush your home, restaurant or business, visit
montva.com/boil-water-lifted.
Again, lifting the boil water advisory in a specific area depends on successful testing to confirm the absence of bacteria in the water distribution and storage systems. This phased approach aims to lift the advisory as safely and rapidly as possible.
Pending final test results, below please find the updated timeline to lift the boil water advisory throughout the New River Valley Regional Water Authority’s service area:
Montgomery County PSA Customers (remaining service areas):
- Oct. 13: Alleghany Springs
- Oct. 13: Elliston
- Oct. 13: Lafayette
- Oct. 13: Shawsville
As previously shared, the estimated timeline is a goal, but contingent entirely on testing results and final approval from VDH-ODW.
For areas remaining under the boil water advisory, please continue boiling water for cooking and consumption. The water remains safe for showering, bathing, cleaning, and washing clothes or dishes by hand or in a dishwasher. Please refer to the VDH-ODW FAQs for direction.
Service areas no longer under the boil water advisory:
- Oct. 10: All service areas in the Town of Christiansburg
- Oct. 9: Bethel service area (Montgomery County PSA)
- Oct. 9: Mud Pike service area (Montgomery County PSA)
- Oct. 9: Plum Creek service area (Montgomery County PSA)
- Oct. 9: Riner service area (Montgomery County PSA)
- Oct. 7: Prices Fork service area (Montgomery County PSA)
- Oct. 7: Belview service area (Montgomery County PSA)
- Oct. 7: Peppers Ferry Road Corridor (Town of Christiansburg)
- Oct. 7: Cambria Street service area (Town of Christiansburg)
Update: October 9, 3 p.m.:
Effective immediately, the Virginia Department of Health’s Office of Drinking Water (VDH-ODW) has lifted the boil water advisory for the following areas. Customers in these areas will be contacted directly by their service provider.
The boil water advisory has been lifted for:
- Bethel service area (Montgomery County PSA)
- Mud Pike service area (Montgomery County PSA)
- Plum Creek service area (Montgomery County PSA)
- Riner service area (Montgomery County PSA)
The boil advisory remains in effect for the Town of Christiansburg, Town of Blacksburg, Virginia Tech, and the remainder of Montgomery County PSA customers.
To determine if the advisory has been lifted in your service area,
visit this interactive map or call VA211.
For information on how to flush your home, restaurant or business, visit
montva.com/boil-water-lifted.
Again, lifting the boil water advisory in a specific area depends on successful testing to confirm the absence of bacteria in the water distribution and storage systems. This phased approach aims to lift the advisory as safely and rapidly as possible.
Pending final test results, below please find the updated timeline to lift the boil water advisory throughout the New River Valley Regional Water Authority’s service area:
Town of Christiansburg (remaining service areas):
Town of Blacksburg:
Virginia Tech:
Montgomery County PSA Customers (remaining service areas):
- Oct. 13: Alleghany Springs
- Oct. 13: Elliston
- Oct. 13: Lafayette
- Oct. 13: Shawsville
As previously shared, the estimated timeline is a goal, but contingent entirely on testing results and final approval from VDH-ODW.
For areas remaining under the boil water advisory, please continue boiling water for cooking and consumption. The water remains safe for showering, bathing, cleaning, and washing clothes or dishes by hand or in a dishwasher. Please refer to the VDH-ODW FAQs for direction.
Service areas no longer under the boil water advisory:
- Oct. 10: All services areas in the Town of Christiansburg
- Oct. 9: Bethel service area (Montgomery County PSA)
- Oct. 9: Mud Pike service area (Montgomery County PSA)
- Oct. 9: Plum Creek service area (Montgomery County PSA)
- Oct. 9: Riner service area (Montgomery County PSA)
- Oct. 7: Prices Fork service area (Montgomery County PSA)
- Oct. 7: Belview service area (Montgomery County PSA)
- Oct. 7: Peppers Ferry Road Corridor (Town of Christiansburg)
- Oct. 7: Cambria Street service area (Town of Christiansburg)
Update: October 8, 1:45 p.m.:
Effective immediately, the Virginia Department of Health’s Office of Drinking Water (VDH-ODW) has lifted the boil water advisory for the following areas. Customers in these areas will be contacted directly by their service provider.
The boil water advisory has been lifted for:
- Prices Fork service area (Montgomery County PSA)
- Belview service area (Montgomery County PSA)
- Peppers Ferry Road Corridor (Town of Christiansburg)
- Cambria Street service area (Town of Christiansburg)
The boil advisory remains in effect for the Town of Christiansburg, Town of Blacksburg, Virginia Tech, and the remainder of Montgomery County PSA customers.
To determine if the advisory has been lifted in your service area,
visit this interactive map.
For information on how to flush your home, restaurant or business, visit
montva.com/boil-water-lifted.
Lifting the boil water advisory in a specific area depends on successful testing to confirm the absence of bacteria in the water distribution and storage systems. This phased approach aims to lift the advisory as safely and rapidly as possible.
Pending final test results, below please find the updated timeline to lift the boil water advisory throughout the New River Valley Regional Water Authority’s service area:
Montgomery County PSA Customers (remaining service areas):
- Oct. 9: Bethel
- Oct. 9: Mud Pike
- Oct. 9: Plum Creek
- Oct. 9: Riner
- Oct. 13: Alleghany Springs
- Oct. 13: Elliston
- Oct. 13: Lafayette
- Oct. 13: Shawsville
Town of Christiansburg (remaining service areas):
Town of Blacksburg:
Virginia Tech:
Again, the estimated timeline is a goal, but contingent entirely on testing results and final approval from VDH-ODW.
For areas remaining under the boil water advisory, please continue boiling water for cooking and consumption. The water remains safe for showering, bathing, cleaning, and washing clothes or dishes by hand or in a dishwasher. Please refer to the VDH-ODW FAQs for direction.
Update: October 7, 1:30 p.m.:
As crews work to flush water lines and disinfect water storage tanks in an effort to lift the boil water notice in our community, we thank you for your continued patience.
When the boil water notice can be lifted, citizens who have signed up to receive alerts through the
Citizens Alert system at
montva.com/citizensalert will be notified via their communication preference (phone, text, email, etc.) In addition, information will be shared with local media outlets, on social media and on our website.
For frequently asked questions, including what to do at your home, restaurant or place of business once the boil water notice has been lifted, visit:
https://www.vdh.virginia.gov/drinking-water/boil-water-faqs/ or
here.
If you experienced damage from Hurricane Helene, you may be eligible for Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) assistance. To apply, you can:
Update: October 6, 3:50 p.m.:
At this time, crews continue to flush water lines and disinfect storage tanks.
The next step in restoring clean drinking water involves completing two rounds of water system testing, with each round taking up to 24 hours. The boil water notice is expected to remain in effect through the upcoming weekend, Oct. 12-13.
Please continue to boil water for cooking and consumption. The water remains safe for showering, bathing, cleaning, and washing clothes or dishes by hand or in a dishwasher. Once the boil water notice has been lifted, information will be shared here, social media, and alert systems.
Water testing data from the New River Valley Regional Water Authority is available
online.
FAQs are available at the Virginia Department of Health and
here.
Update: October 4, 4:45 p.m.
The New River Valley Regional Water Authority is committed to transparency and will make ongoing water testing data publicly available. Community members are encouraged to review these results as ongoing work continues to ensure the safety of our water supply. Again, the boil water notice is still in effect. View water testing results:
nrvwater.org/water-quality/monthly-water-report
Update at 6:30 pm:
While we realize the water testing reports are technical, in an effort of transparency the New River Valley Regional Water Authority wanted to share the comprehensive water test results with the public. One thing you may note on the bacteriological report on page two in the results columns is that an "A" indicates the absence of bacteria and a "P" indicates the presence of bacteria. The Oct. 4, 2024, bacteriological report can be found here:
https://nrvwater.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Bacteriological-Testing-as-of-10-4-2024.pdf
Update: October 4, 3:45 p.m.:
Flushing of water systems has begun. You may see water flowing from fire hydrants and flushing valves throughout the Towns of Blacksburg and Christiansburg, on Virginia Tech’s campus roads and greenspaces, and throughout Montgomery County. During the flushing process, water in buildings may be cloudy. This is temporary.
Flushing the system is the initial step in a multi-step process to provide clean drinking water to our community. Crews have been working around the clock and will continue to do so in order to provide this essential service.
The boil water notice will remain in effect until water sampling tests conducted by the Virginia Department of Health and the New River Valley Water Authority confirm that the water is safe to drink. While it remains uncertain how long this will take, one should prepare for the boil water notice to remain in effect through October 12 or 13.
According to the VDH, there is no need to boil water for showering, bathing, cleaning, and washing clothes or washing dishes by hand or with a dishwasher. Care should be taken to prevent water from getting into deep open or post-surgical wounds. Consult your physician or health care provider for wound care instructions.
Update: October 3, 5:30 p.m.:
The New River Valley Regional Water Authority is committed to providing safe drinking water to our community.
Boil Water Notice and Related Testing – What Additional Testing Is Being Done Now?
Before the current boil water notice (https://nrvwater.org/) can be lifted, the Authority will conduct between 150 to 200 dedicated water sample tests across the regional system. These tests will focus on ensuring all water quality parameters meet safety standards and we anticipate the results will confirm high-quality water. In the coming days, multiple tests will continue to be carried out in the water distribution systems and storage facilities across the Authority’s service area to ensure the safety of the entire water system.
Standardized Testing Background – Why Do We Regularly Test the Water?
As part of ongoing efforts, the Authority performs rigorous testing of water quality on a daily basis to ensure compliance with all Virginia Department of Health – Office of Drinking Water (VDH-ODW) requirements.
The Authority uses online instrumentation to continuously monitor water quality parameters, and additional tests are performed at various points throughout the treatment process to verify the accuracy of these measurements. Various tests are conducted daily, some are twice per day and some are every two hours. On average, more than 60 water quality tests are conducted each day, supplementing the continuous monitoring from online instrumentation.
The Authority has a separate in-house laboratory that is certified by the Commonwealth of Virginia through the Division of Consolidated Laboratory Services (DCLS). In the lab, an average of 135 bacteriological tests are performed each month on the water treated at the facility and at specific site locations throughout the Towns of Blacksburg and Christiansburg, Virginia Tech and the Montgomery County Public Service Authority. These test results are reported to VDH-ODW so they can monitor the performance of the system per treatment requirements established by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA).
View the Authority’s water treatment process for more information.
Public Access to Results – Who Can See the Test Results and How?
The Authority is committed to transparency and will make ongoing water testing data publicly available. These test results will be posted on the New River Valley Water Authority’s website at https://nrvwater.org. Community members are encouraged to review these results as ongoing work continues to ensure the safety of our water supply.
The Boil Water Notice remains in effect. We thank the public for their patience and cooperation during this period and offer assurance we are taking every step possible to provide safe drinking water.
While flushing takes place, water customers may experience discoloration in their water, but they should simply follow the boil water notice for cooking and consumption. Again, the water is safe for showering, bathing, cleaning, and washing clothes or washing dishes by hand or with a dishwasher. We continue to stay consistent with VDH-ODW guidance.
For further information or questions, please contact the New River Valley Regional Water Authority.
Update: October 3, 9:30 a.m.:
The path and time frame to deliver clean water to residents of Blacksburg, Christiansburg, Virginia Tech and Montgomery County has come into focus. The boil water notice will continue at least through next weekend (Oct. 12-13).
The New River Valley Regional Water Authority has been working diligently around the clock to restore normal operations in the wake of Hurricane Helene. All water samples tested since October 1 at the water treatment facility demonstrate water quality meets or exceeds Virginia Department of Health - Office of Drinking Water (VDH-ODW) requirements. However, water quality tests throughout the entire water distribution and storage systems must pass established VDH-ODW standards before the boil water notice can be lifted.
The next step is to flush all local systems. That process will begin upstream in the Town of Christiansburg, continuing downstream in the Town of Blacksburg, Virginia Tech, and then Montgomery County. We anticipate that sequential process will begin sometime today, October 3.
In addition to flushing each system, per VDH-ODW requirements water storage tanks must be disinfected before final samples can be taken. To ensure continuous water capacity throughout the process, the disinfection of tanks must be staggered. In other words, all the tanks cannot be drained, cleaned and disinfected at the same time. This process takes a minimum of 74 hours per tank, which means the boil water notice will continue at least through next weekend (Oct. 12-13).
While flushing takes place, water customers may experience discoloration in their water but they should simply follow the boil water notice for cooking and consumption. Again, the water is safe for showering, bathing, cleaning, and washing clothes or washing dishes by hand or with a dishwasher. We continue to stay consistent with VDH-ODW guidance. We will provide additional information later today, including water test results.
Update: October 1, 5:25 p.m.:
At this time the boil water notice is still in effect for customers of the Towns of Blacksburg and Christiansburg, Virginia Tech and Montgomery County Public Service Authority Waterworks. As of this afternoon, water treatment levels have stabilized at the New River Valley Regional Water Authority.
However, several key steps must be achieved before the boil water notice can be lifted. First, all water supply lines must be flushed, meaning existing water in the lines will be emptied through a variety of outlets to include fire hydrants and flushing valves. Then, the Authority and its members have to complete two rounds of testing on the water supply systems. Each round of testing takes up to 24 hours to complete. Once the water testing is complete and VDH determines the water is safe for consumption, then the boil water notice will be lifted. Multiple tests over 24 hour periods may be necessary to ensure the water is safe for consumption.
As a result, we anticipate the process to lift the boil water notice will continue through the weekend. Please make preparations to boil your water through the weekend.
Thank you for your continued patience as crews continue to work throughout the day and night to resolve this issue in our community.
VDH Boil Water FAQs: https://www.vdh.virginia.gov/drinking-water/boil-water-faqs/
Resource for restaurants: https://restaurant.org/education-and-resources/resource-library/what-to-do-when-a-boil-water-advisory-is-issued/
Update: October 1, 9 a.m.:
The boil water
notice is in effect for the Towns of Blacksburg and Christiansburg, Virginia Tech and Montgomery County.
Again, this boil water notice will remain in effect until safe drinking water test results occur from water sampling tests conducted by the Virginia Department of Health. All water samples collected will meet state and federal drinking water standards before the boil water notice will be lifted.
Q. I consumed water prior to the boil water notice being issued on September 30. Was it safe?
A. Per the New River Valley Regional Water Authority, water that was treated up to when the boil water notice was issued met the regulations. However, water that was working its way to the system as the boil water notice was issued did not meet the regulations. Per the New River Valley Regional Water Authority, it takes time for the water to make its way out into the system, which is why they issued the boil water notice when they did out of an abundance of caution for our community’s public health and safety.
Q. Do I need to boil my water for my coffee?
A. Yes. You will need to heat your water to boiling (212 Degrees Fahrenheit) for at least a minute prior to consuming it.
Q. Can I shower/bathe in the water?
A. Yes. It is safe to bathe/shower and wash your hands in the water.
Q. Can I wash my dishes in the tap water? Or do I need to boil it first?
A. You do not need to boil your water prior to using it to wash your dishes. You can wash your dishes with hot tap water using anti-bacterial soap. The Virginia Health Department states you can use your tap water to wash and rinse the dishes as you normally would using hot water. Or, you can choose to add a tablespoon of household bleach such as Clorox to a sink full of warm tap water and soak the rinsed dishes in the water for at least one minute. After you wash the dishes, allow dishes and utensils to air dry completely before reuse.
If you use an electric dishwasher, but be sure to use it with its heating elements turned on. If your dishwasher reaches a final rinse temperature of at least 150 degrees Fahrenheit (66 degrees Celsius) or if it has a sanitizing cycle option, it is generally safe to use. If you are unsure if your dishwasher has these features, after a washing cycle, you may rinse your dishes in a sink full of warm tap water with a tablespoon of bleach added and air dry completely for extra precaution.
Source:
https://www.vdh.virginia.gov/drinking-water/boil-water-faqs/
Q. If I have a private well, do I need to boil my water?
A. The boil water notice issued by the New River Valley Regional Water Authority applies to their customers. The New River Valley Regional Water Authority supplies water to the Town of Blacksburg, the Town of Christiansburg, Virginia Tech, and the Montgomery County Public Service Authority. If you own a private well and have questions about your water supply, please contact the Montgomery County Health Department at contactnrhd@vdh.virginia.gov or 540-585-3300.
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Posted: September 30, 2024:
Notice to Customers of The Towns of Blacksburg and Christiansburg, Virginia Tech and Montgomery County Public Service Authority Waterworks
The New River Valley Water Authority has issued a boil water notice effective immediately, September 30, 2024, for all customers throughout Montgomery County.
This boil water notice will remain in effect until safe drinking water test results occur from water sampling tests conducted by the Virginia Department of Health. All water samples collected will meet state and federal drinking water standards before the "boil water" notice will be lifted. At this time, it is unknown when the boil water notice will be lifted. However, please plan on boiling your water for minimum of 48 hours.
Instructions for boiling water:
- Prior to drinking water from the PSA's water system, bring the water to a rolling boil for approximately one minute. This will help destroy bacteria that may have contaminated the drinking water.
- Caution: Use extreme caution with boiling water to avoid burns. Allow the water to cool before using.
- Hot tap water is not a substitute for boiling water. Water from a water heater is not intended for drinking.
- Additionally, if your freezer has an automatic icemaker, discard all the ice cubes and turn off the icemaker until the "boil water" notice is lifted.
If you cannot boil your water:
If you do not have access to gas or electricity to boil water, the NRV Regional Water Authority has provided the following water purification instructions:
- An alternative method of purification for residents that do not have gas or electricity available is to use liquid household bleach to disinfect water. The bleach product should be recently purchased, free of additives and scents, and should contain a hypochlorite solution of at least 5.25%. Public health officials recommend adding 8 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.
- Water purification tablets may also be used by following the manufacturer’s instructions.
- Potable water is available at the following locations: local grocery and convenience stores.
Learn more at the Virginia Department of Health.
View the New River Valley Regional Water Authority notification.