Why You Might Want to Boil Your Water in Prince George's

A water main break in Hyattsville Tuesday night has sanitation officials advising residents in areas around the break to boil their water.

At 7:55 p.m. on Tuesday, the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission issued a “Boil Water Advisory” for the following areas, effective for the next 48 hours:

• Hyattsville
• Bladensburg
• Mt. Rainier
• Cheverly
• Chillum
• Edmonston
• Landover Hills
• Glen Arden
• Fairmount Heights
• Seat Pleasant
• Brentwood

The 24-inch water main break occurred on Tanglewood Drive near the alternate US Route 1 in Hyattsville, where crews are on-site closing valves to isolate that section of the main.

The water main was 59 years old, according to the report from the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission.

When part of the water system loses pressure, there’s a risk of contamination, so officials have notified the appropriate health agencies and recommend residents take the following precautions: Bring water before drinking it, giving it to pets, washing dishes with it, brushing teeth, preparing food and making ice.

According to officials, water should be brought to a rolling boil for one minute and cooled before it is acceptable for use.

Photo Credit: Pearl River Patch