LIFTED (Sept. 30): The boil water advisory for this area has been lifted with the concurrence of the Virginia Department of Health. Residents can safely resume using their household water as normal. Before you do, please follow the flushing steps in Boil Water Advisory Lifted. The advisory notice and the September 29 update below are no longer in effect.
UPDATE (Sept. 29): The first water sample from the advisory area came back clean. The state-certified laboratory in Hillsville found no coliform bacteria and no E. coli. Two consecutive clean samples are needed before the advisory can be lifted, so the boil water advisory remains in effect until the second sample’s results are back and the Virginia Department of Health concurs. The second sample was collected today, and we expect its results Wednesday.
This advisory is precautionary, and the Town is not aware of any contaminated water entering the system. Until we announce here and on stuartva.org that the advisory has been lifted, please continue to boil your water or use bottled water. The advisory still covers South Main Street and Salem Highway, Route 8, south of the Dollar General, including Patrick County High School and Scenic Overlook, and Wayside Road. Bottled water is available by calling the Town Office at (276) 694-3811.
BOIL YOUR TAP WATER. Failure to follow this advisory could result in stomach or intestinal illness.
The Virginia Department of Health in conjunction with the West Piedmont Health District – Patrick County Health Department, and the Town of Stuart Waterworks are advising residents to use boiled tap water or bottled water for drinking and cooking purposes as a safety precaution. This precaution is necessary because of the planned shutdown and loss of pressure in the water main serving this area on September 26, 2026, and the likelihood of the presence of E. coli in the drinking water. The Town took the main out of service to connect new water main installed for the Virginia Department of Transportation project at Route 8 and Ashby Drive. Customers on South Main Street and Salem Highway (Route 8) south of the Dollar General, including Patrick County High School and Scenic Overlook, and customers on Wayside Road are affected by this advisory. Ashby Drive and the streets off Ashby Drive are not affected.
E. coli are bacteria whose presence indicates that the water may be contaminated with human or animal wastes. Human pathogens in these wastes can cause short-term effects, such as diarrhea, cramps, nausea, headaches, or other symptoms. They may pose a greater health risk for infants, young children, the elderly, and people with severely-compromised immune systems.
DO NOT DRINK TAP WATER WITHOUT BOILING IT FIRST
Bring all tap water to a rolling boil, let it boil for one minute, and let it cool before using, or use bottled water. Boiled or bottled water should be used for drinking, beverage and food preparation, brushing teeth, and making ice. Boiling kills bacteria and other disease-causing microorganisms in the water. Boiling is the preferred method to assure that the tap water is safe to drink. Water does not need to be boiled for washing clothes, bathing, washing dishes, or other uses where water is not ingested. However, care should be taken not to allow children or infants to drink bath water or allow it to get into their mouths.
If you cannot boil your tap water….
- An alternative method of purification for residents that do not have gas or electricity available is to use liquid household bleach to disinfect water. The bleach product should be recently purchased, free of additives and scents, and should contain a hypochlorite solution of at least 5.25%. Public health officials recommend adding 8 drops of bleach (about ¼ teaspoon) to each gallon of water. The water should be stirred and allowed to stand for at least 30 minutes before use.
- Water purification tablets may also be used by following the manufacturer’s instructions.
- Potable water is available at the following locations: Bottled water is available on request from the Town of Stuart. Call the Town Office at (276) 694-3811. In an emergency, call (276) 692-6351.
We will inform you when you no longer need to boil your water. To address this problem we are connecting the new water main, and chlorinating and flushing the affected section of the water system. We anticipate resolving the problem within two to five days, once two consecutive bacteriological samples confirm that the water is safe and the Virginia Department of Health concurs.
For more information, please contact Bryce M. Simmons, Town Manager, at (276) 694-3811 or Town of Stuart, P.O. Box 422, Stuart, VA 24171.
Please share this information with all the other people who drink this water, especially those who may not have received this notice directly (for example, people in apartments, nursing homes, schools, and businesses). You can do this by posting this notice in a public place or distributing copies by hand or mail.
This notice is being sent to you by the Town of Stuart Waterworks. State Water System ID#: 5141640. Date of Notice: September 26, 2026.