Bonnie Cranmer
Contributing writer
On July 3, just seven days after the initial warning was publicized, the Virginia Department of Health lifted the boil water notice for the Craig-New Castle Public Service Authority. The Department of Health did a Level 2 assessment of PSA facilities which revealed no visible evidence of a contamination source. Recommendations were made to the PSA for reducing the potential risk for cross contamination during water testing which may cause a false positive for system contamination.
The Virginia Department of Health is requiring that the PSA install testing stations designed to limit cross contamination risk. In addition, the PSA is to purchase a backup chlorination pump in the event the existing system goes offline. These requirements are to be completed by Aug. 1, as required by the Department of Health.
Local water quality is important for the health of the community. Residents can request an annual water quality report or consumer confidence report from the local water supplier. In the report submitted to the Craig County Board of Supervisors in May 2023, for the previous year 2022, it states the following; “Your drinking water is groundwater obtained from two drilled wells. Water from the wells is chlorinated by adding a weak bleach solution. Water is then pumped through the distribution piping to a storage tank.” As part of the source water assessments completed by the Virginia Department of Health in 2022, it was determined that the wells may be susceptible to contamination because they are located in an area that promotes migration of contaminants with land use activities of concern.
Craig County has a mix of public water from the Craig-New Castle PSA, private wells, and springs throughout the county. Home water filtration systems are available, from a point-of-use filter on the faucet, to pitchers and bottles that filter contaminates, to under the sink and whole house systems. People with health conditions such as immune systems weakened by medications or chemotherapy need to take special precautions with drinking water. Finding the right system for the health of your household is essential for water safety.
The Virginia Department of Health has inspected the treatment and testing facility, and has notified the PSA that tests show that the tap water is safe to drink as of July 3. It is recommended to run water to flush the pipes in your home before using your tap water after any safety situation. Learn more about drinking water in Virginia from the Department of Health at https://www.vdh.virginia.gov/drinking-water.
