US Water Quality Alerts

A boil water advisory is issued when water may be unsafe to drink. Residents should boil tap water for at least one minute before drinking, cooking, or brushing teeth. Advisories are typically issued after a water main break, loss of pressure, or treatment failure that could allow bacteria or other pathogens into the water supply.

Flooding can overwhelm water treatment plants, contaminate wells with sewage or agricultural runoff, damage water infrastructure, and cause pressure loss in distribution systems. Even after floodwaters recede, water systems may need to flush and test before lifting advisories.

WaterVerge aggregates real-time water-related alerts from two federal sources: the NOAA National Weather Service (flood warnings, storm surge, coastal flood advisories) and FEMA Integrated Public Alert & Warning System (IPAWS). Data is refreshed every 5 minutes.

Follow the specific guidance in the alert. For boil water advisories: boil tap water for 1 minute before use, or use bottled water. For flood warnings: avoid contact with floodwater, as it may contain sewage and chemicals. For contamination notices: follow local utility instructions and check back for updates.