Many Southwest Virginia areas are under a boil water advisory

Photo by Frank Zhang on Unsplash

By Ava Edwards

October 2, 2024

A boil water advisory is in effect for the areas of Blacksburg, Montgomery County, Christiansburg, and all of Virginia Tech’s campus after Hurricane Helene.

Due to unstable water levels at the New River Valley Regional Water Authority, the tap water surrounding Virginia Tech’s campus has become unsafe to drink.

Hurricane Helene brought massive flooding to much of the southwestern section of the state. Because of this flooding, contaminants can make their way into various water supplies. In this case, bacteria was detected in the tap water.

Residents are advised to either bring their tap water to a rolling boil before use or to use bottled water to prevent any potential stomach or intestinal issues.

Virginia Tech’s campus is giving out free bottles of water to anyone with a VT student ID.

For residents, however, many store shelves are stripped of water bottles in the surrounding counties.

The Virginia Department of Health is working to lift the water advisory in the next few days, once the water has been properly treated and tested. According to a status update by Virginia Tech, the boil water notice is likely to remain in place through the weekend.

Ava Edwards

Ava is an up-and-coming journalist who recently graduated from William & Mary with a degree in English. She's written for news publications such as her school's newspaper, The Flat Hat, and Hampton Roads' WAVY-TV 10. As a lifelong Virginia resident, she looks forward to informing her community on the latest information and events.

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