PRECAUTIONARY BOIL WATER ADVISORY FOR RASPBERRY FALLS LIFTED

Testing confirmed NO contamination of water system; PW-2 back in service; Well F to remain offline until turbidity cause is determined

Loudoun Water has lifted, effective immediately, a precautionary boil water advisory for the Raspberry Falls community. Testing conducted by Loudoun Water indicates there are no signs of harmful bacteria. In addition, Loudoun Water was able to confirm that there was not a break in the raw water supply line and that this was not the cause of the high turbidity experienced Tuesday morning. As a result, Loudoun Water and the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) have determined that it is no longer necessary for customers in Raspberry Falls to boil their water prior to use.

Well F will remain out of service until Loudoun Water can determine what caused the high turbidity in the system. The well will be tested thoroughly over the next month to determine what happened and what steps need to be implemented to address the situation.

Well PW-2, which was offline at the time of the incident, is back in service supplying the community. The emergency interconnection with Selma is not in use at this time.

Loudoun Water continues to ask Raspberry Falls residents to follow the same water conservation recommendations that we ask of our Central System customers, namely to follow a two-day-a-week watering schedule based on your house numbers. Odd addresses should water Wednesday and Saturday; even addresses, Thursday and Sunday. Avoid watering between 10am and 4pm because the water tends to evaporate before reaching the soil and is therefore wasted.

The demand in the community has remained constant throughout the summer despite several messages asking for compliance with this watering schedule. If demand is not effectively managed, Loudoun Water may need to ask for voluntary, or even mandatory restrictions.

We regret the inconvenience that this event has caused. Loudoun Water will provide regular updates and post information online at loudounwater.org. A complete list of Frequently Asked Questions is available online. Customers can also contact Loudoun Water’s Customer Service at (571) 291-7880.  For emergency calls after hours, please contact (571) 291-7878. 

On Monday, August 8, Well PW-2 was taken offline for scheduled maintenance.  On the morning of Tuesday, August 9, high turbidity was experienced in a portion of the system during routine monitoring.  Because Well F was the only well servicing the system at the time, it was taken offline to assess the situation and determine the source of the problem.  Because the situation may involve a break in one of the system’s raw water supply lines, Loudoun Water is issuing the Precautionary Boil Water Advisory.

To continue supplying the community with water with both wells out of service, the emergency interconnect with Selma Estates was opened.  Because the interconnect is for emergency use only and will not support widespread irrigation use, Loudoun Water is asking the Raspberry Falls community to stop irrigating their properties for at least the next 72 hours.  Well PW-2 is being brought back into service to remedy the situation, however, this process will take approximately 72 hours to complete. 

While the system did not lose pressure, the possibility of a break in one of the system’s raw water supply lines creates an increased risk of contamination.  Although we do NOT have an indication that the water system has been contaminated, as a precaution, Loudoun Water recommends that residents in Raspberry Falls should bring water to a rolling boil for one minute and cool before using.  If you cannot boil your water because of a power outage, then bottled water should be used. 

Only boiled or bottled water should be used for drinking, making ice, washing dishes, brushing teeth and food preparation. After the interconnect was opened, Loudoun Water flushed the system to eliminate the discoloration.  Therefore, if you experience discolored water today, let your taps run until the water runs clear.

We regret the inconvenience that this may cause.  Loudoun Water will provide regular updates and post information online at loudounwater.org.  A complete list of Frequently Asked Questions is available online.  Customers can also contact Loudoun Water’s Customer Service at (571) 291-7880.  For emergency calls after hours, please contact (571) 291-7878.