Home Update: Staunton, Augusta County boil water advisory remains in effect
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Update: Staunton, Augusta County boil water advisory remains in effect

Crystal Graham
boil water on stovetop
(© mattiaath – stock.adobe.com)

The City of Staunton and some areas of Augusta County are still under a boil water advisory, until further notice.

All Staunton residents and businesses are included in the advisory. In Augusta County, the advisory applies to the Bon Lea, Foxhill and Blackburn areas and some portions of Verona including the Augusta County Government Center.

The advisory is expected to be lifted as early as Monday morning.

Staunton City schools were closed on Friday due to the water restrictions. No announcement has been made for Monday.

In the meantime, the city has consolidated its water distribution locations to a single site on Sunday, with water available at the Gypsy Hill Park gymnasium, while supplies last. The location is scheduled to be open until 7 p.m. No Augusta County distribution sites have been announced.

While the advisory is in effect, customers should boil water before using it for drinking, cooking or brushing teeth. Bring water to a rolling boil for at least one minute and let it cool before use. Continue to follow these precautions until the city notifies residents that the boil water advisory has been lifted. The Augusta County advisory will be lifted at the same time as Staunton.

Sampling and testing of water continue across all pressure zones in the city. Crews were out as early as 2:40 a.m. to collect samples as soon as the required waiting time between tests had passed.

Water samples must be tested for both residual chlorine and bacteria, and the testing process must be completed in separate rounds. The test for bacteria requires a minimum waiting time of 16 hours before test results are determined.

The city said that due to the testing requirements, the boil water notice may be in place through Monday morning for some pressure zones.


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Crystal Graham

Crystal Graham

A 1999 graduate of Virginia Tech, Crystal Graham has worked for 25 years as a reporter and editor for several Virginia publications, written a book, and garnered more than a dozen Virginia Press Association awards for writing and graphic design. She was the co-host of "Viewpoints," a weekly TV news show, and co-host of "Virginia Tonight," a nightly TV news show, both broadcast on PBS. Her work on "Virginia Tonight" earned her a national Telly award for excellence in television. You can reach her at [email protected]