Danville Residents Advised to Boil Water After Treatment Plant Disruption

City officials say heavy rain and runoff caused water quality issues that led to a temporary loss of pressure in the distribution system.

Published on Feb. 20, 2026

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Danville, Virginia is currently under a boil water advisory after heavy rain and runoff caused water quality issues at the city's treatment plant, leading to a temporary loss of pressure in the distribution system. City officials say they are working to refill the main reservoir and restore normal water service, but the advisory will remain in effect until at least Thursday pending required water quality testing.

Why it matters

Boil water advisories are issued to protect public health when there are concerns about the safety of the municipal water supply. This disruption highlights the vulnerability of water infrastructure to extreme weather events and the importance of maintaining robust treatment and distribution systems.

The details

According to Danville Utilities, the heavy rain and runoff caused the water coming into the treatment plant to become unusually cloudy, and despite the best efforts of the plant, it could not be safely treated to meet drinking water quality standards. This led to a temporary loss of pressure in the distribution system, triggering the boil water advisory under public health regulations.

  • On February 17, 2026, the boil water advisory was issued for Danville.
  • The advisory is expected to remain in effect until at least Thursday, pending required water quality testing.

The players

Ken Larking

Danville City Manager, who explained the circumstances leading to the boil water advisory at a City Council meeting.

Danville Utilities

The municipal utility responsible for the city's water treatment and distribution system.

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What they’re saying

“I know that this is frustrating and inconvenient for residents, businesses, and visitors. We're working hard to get the water system back to normal as quickly as we can. We will investigate how this happened so we can improve our processes and prevent it from happening again. Keeping our water supply safe and reliable is our top priority.”

— Ken Larking, Danville City Manager (wakg.com)

What’s next

The city will notify residents as soon as the boil water advisory is lifted, which is expected to occur after required water quality testing is completed, likely by Thursday.

The takeaway

This incident underscores the importance of maintaining robust and resilient water infrastructure, especially in the face of increasingly extreme weather events. It also highlights the need for proactive planning and investment to ensure the continued safety and reliability of municipal water supplies.