When a situation occurs during which the water is, or may likely become, contaminated with microbial pathogens (e.g.,
Giardia, Cryptosporidium, E. coli, and viruses), a PWS [public water system]may voluntarily issue a boil water advisory
(BWA) to better protect public health while the issues are being resolved. Contamination, or the potential for contamination, may be the result of several factors. These factors include
-- source water contamination,
-- lack of adequate treatment or
-- treatment failures and failures of, or damage to,
water system infrastructure.
BWAs may be needed for a single event or may be needed where identified contamination, or the potential for
contamination, and vulnerability persists and remediation, such as capital improvements, are
needed. A BWA is a voluntary protective public health measure that the water systems can take until
contamination, or the potential for contamination, is corrected. Understanding the prevalence and
causes of BWAs across the United States can provide critical information on the health and sustainability
of the PWS infrastructure.
The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (Public Law 117-58, Section 50115, November 15, 2021)
requires the Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to conduct a study on the
prevalence of boil water advisories issued in the United States.
The legislation requires that the Administrator submit a report to Congress describing the results of the study.
The report must include a description of the reasons for which the BWA was issued...
The second highest category of an issued BWA was for unknown or unidentified reasons...
More than 90 percent of public water systems serving less than 10,000
people use a groundwater source...
.
https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2025-01/10586_boil-water-advisories_final_rtc_20240603_admin.pdf#:~:text=When%20a%20situation%20occurs%20during%20which%20water,before%20use.%20(i.e.%2C%20a%20“boil%20water%20advisory”).
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