A boil water advisory was issued Wednesday night for the entire District of Columbia and Arlington County. The Pentagon, Arlington National Cemetery and Reagan National Airport were also affected.
The Army Corps of Engineers noticed increased turbidity — technically called cloudiness — in water coming from the Washington Aqueduct, which serves the District and Arlington County. Turbidity can provide a medium for microbes to grow and could indicate the presence of disease-causing organisms, the water authority said.
The advisory is a precautionary measure and affected residents should boil water that will be consumed or ingested. DC Water said cold water should be turned on for two minutes before boiling. Water should be brought to a boil for one minute before cooling and storing in a clean, covered container.
DC Water has also advised residents to throw away any drinks and ice made after 9 p.m. on Wednesday.
Bottled water can be used for drinking, brushing teeth, preparing and cooking food, washing fruits and vegetables, preparing baby food, making ice, washing dishes by hand, and providing water to pets.
DC Water says the increased turbidity means water treatment needs to be adjusted to account for potential contamination.
The advice will remain in effect until tests have shown the water is safe to drink.
This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
