Karmactive Staff
Tejal SomvanshiA 16-inch water pipe burst Friday night at 5540 Columbia Park in Hyattsville near the Cheverly Metro station, triggering a boil water advisory affecting over 11,200 residents across several Prince George’s County communities. Here’s what you need to know to keep your household safe during this disruption.
The advisory impacts residents in Hyattsville, Cheverly, Seat Pleasant, Capitol Heights, and surrounding neighborhoods. WSSC Water has created an interactive map where you can check if your address falls within the affected zone: interactivemap.
Not sure if you’re included? Call WSSC’s 24/7 Emergency Services Center at 301-206-4002 for confirmation.
WSSC crews have stopped the water flow overnight and have isolated the damaged section. Before actual pipe work could start, teams needed to build an access road to reach the break site. As of Saturday morning, repairs continue with no estimated completion time provided. The pipe requires complete excavation before technicians can fully assess the damage.
According to WSSC Water, no residential customers are completely without water service, though pressure may be affected in some areas.
If you have any water coming from your taps in the affected area, WSSC Water advises bringing it to a rolling boil for one full minute, then cooling it before:
- Drinking
- Brushing teeth
- Preparing food or baby formula
- Making ice
- Giving water to pets
- Washing fruits and vegetables
Water doesn’t need boiling for bathing, laundry, or handwashing unless there’s risk of ingestion.
Important: Throw away all ice, drinks, or stored water made since the advisory began Friday night.
The CDC’s general guidance for boil water advisories recommends extra precautions for infants, elderly people, and those with compromised immune systems, as they face higher risks from contaminated water. According to the CDC, parents should consider giving young children sponge baths to reduce the chance of them swallowing water.
For those who formula feed their babies, the CDC advises using ready-to-use formula if possible during boil water advisories.
WSSC has established a water distribution center at the Judith P. Hoyer Early Childhood Center (2300 Belleview Avenue, Cheverly), open until 5 PM Saturday. The center is providing bottled water to residents in the affected area.
On Saturday morning, WSSC Water collected water samples that are being tested at their Silver Spring laboratory. Results are expected Sunday morning. WSSC performs approximately 500,000 laboratory tests on water samples each year to ensure safety.
The advisory will remain in effect until testing confirms the water is safe for consumption.
WSSC Water maintains almost 6,000 miles of water mains across their system. According to WSSC’s infrastructure information, they experience approximately 1,800 water main breaks annually, with about 40% of their pipes being over 50 years old.
Despite these challenges, WSSC Water proudly maintains a record of more than 107 years without a drinking water quality violation.
Sign up for WSSC’s alert system at wsscwater.com/text-alerts for real-time updates on the situation. For emergencies or questions, contact WSSC Water’s 24/7 Emergency Services Center at 301-206-4002.
Additional Resources:
- WSSC Advisory Page: wsscwater.com/bwa
- CDC Safe Water Use: cdc.gov/healthywater/emergency
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- Mumbai BMC Lab Welcomes All to Test Tap, Tank & Purifier Samples
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The WSSC Water boil advisory remains active while repairs continue. Residents in affected areas must boil tap water for one minute before consumption until further notice. Water distribution is available at the Judith P. Hoyer Early Childhood Center until 5 PM Saturday.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Water Advisory
The advisory affects about 11,200 customers in Hyattsville, Cheverly, Seat Pleasant, Capitol Heights, and nearby neighborhoods. The quickest way to check is to enter your address in WSSC’s interactive map at wsscwater.com/interactivemap. If you don’t have internet access, call WSSC’s 24/7 hotline at 301-206-4002 for confirmation.
There’s no exact timeframe yet. WSSC Water collected samples on Saturday morning that are being tested at their Silver Spring lab. Results are expected Sunday morning. The advisory will remain in place until tests confirm the water is safe to drink again. WSSC will notify affected residents through their website, social media, and alert system when the advisory is lifted.
Fill a pot with tap water and bring it to a full rolling boil (where large bubbles continuously roll from the bottom to the surface). Keep it boiling for one full minute. Then turn off the heat and let the water cool naturally before using it. Store boiled water in clean, covered containers. Remember to boil all water used for drinking, cooking, making ice, brushing teeth, and washing foods.
Yes, you can shower and bathe, but be careful not to swallow any water. For young children who might accidentally swallow bath water, the CDC recommends giving them sponge baths instead. When washing your hands, use soap and water as normal, but consider using bottled or boiled water for the final rinse if you have cuts or wounds on your hands.
Yes, pets can get sick from the same germs in contaminated water as humans. Give your pets only boiled and cooled water or bottled water until the advisory is lifted. This includes water for drinking, mixing with food, or rinsing their food bowls.
No. Refrigerator filters aren’t designed to remove potentially harmful bacteria that might be present during a boil water advisory. Turn off your ice maker and don’t use the water dispenser. Throw away any ice made since the advisory began. After the advisory is lifted, flush the water dispenser for 3-5 minutes and discard the first three batches of ice your machine makes.
WSSC Water has set up a water distribution center at the Judith P. Hoyer Early Childhood Center (2300 Belleview Avenue in Cheverly). It’s open until 5 PM on Saturday. You can pick up bottled water for your household needs there. If you’re unable to reach this location, consider asking neighbors or family members outside the affected area to help you get bottled water.
WSSC Water hasn’t officially stated the specific cause of this 16-inch water main break. However, water main breaks often result from a combination of factors including pipe age (about 40% of WSSC’s pipes are over 50 years old), temperature fluctuations, ground movement, or pressure changes in the system. WSSC experiences around 1,800 water main breaks annually across their system.
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