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Notice to all Water Customers for the Rocky Gap and Bastian Area of Bland County Due to a water disturbance in the Bluefield, W.Va. Water System

PRECAUTIONARY BOIL NOTICE BOIL YOUR TAP WATER

Failure to follow this advisory could result in stomach or intestinal illness.

The Virginia Department of Health in conjunction with the Bland County Health Department, Bland County Water System are advising residents to use boiled tap water or bottled water for drinking and cooking purposes as a safety precaution. Bluefield, W.Va. (June 1, 2018) – West Virginia American Water has issued a precautionary boil water advisory for the entire Bluefield water system (approx. 4,500 customers which includes Rocky Gap and the Bastian Area of Bland County) due to discolored water in parts of the system. Yesterday, a contractor connected a new water main to the existing Bluefield water system as part of a system upgrade. The new water main was properly flushed and disinfected, however, the work changed the direction and velocity of water in the existing water distribution network, which caused mineral deposits inside pipes to break loose into the water column. Crews are working diligently to flush areas throughout the system until all discolored water is removed.


DO NOT DRINK TAP WATER WITHOUT BOILING IT FIRST As a precaution, affected customers should boil their water before consumption until further notice. Boiling kills bacteria and other organisms that may be present in the water. Customers are asked to bring water used for drinking, cooking, bathing and brushing teeth to a full boil for a minimum of one minute, then cool before use.

We also recommend the following steps: • Throw away beverages and ice cubes if made with tap water; • Keep boiled water in the refrigerator for drinking; • Provide pets with boiled water after cooling; • Do not use home filtering devices in place of boiling or using bottled water; most home water filters will not provide adequate protection from microorganisms; • Use only boiled water to treat minor injuries.

Once the system is cleared of discolored water, West Virginia American Water and Bland County will be collecting additional water quality samples in the area, which require a minimum of 24 hours for analysis. Customers will be notified in the same manner once the analysis is complete and the advisory can be lifted. For more information, contact Bland County 276-688-4622.

If you cannot boil your tap water…. • 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.

For more information call: Waterworks contact: Bland County – 276-688-4622

Please share this information with all the other people who drink this water, especially those who may not have received this notice directly (for example, people in apartments, nursing homes, schools, and
businesses). You can do this by posting this notice in a public place or distributing copies by hand or mail.

Date: June 1, 2018