News Summary
Residents near Shakespeare Road in Richland County are experiencing a water outage due to an eight-inch water main break. Columbia Water has issued a boil water advisory affecting parts of several neighborhoods. Residents are advised to boil water intended for consumption. The advisory will remain in place until water safety is confirmed. Columbia Water recommends contacting their customer service for any concerns. This follows a recent boil water advisory in the area, highlighting ongoing water supply issues.
Richland County Residents Face Water Outage and Boil Water Advisory
Richland County residents near Shakespeare Road are facing a water outage due to an eight-inch water main break that was confirmed on Sunday night by Columbia Water. The main break has led to a precautionary boil water advisory affecting multiple neighborhoods in the area.
The affected regions under the boil water advisory include parts of Humphrey, Shakespeare, Abritton, and Risley Roads, as well as Alta Vista and Carlton Drives. Residents in portions of Fountaine Road and neighboring areas that experienced water loss, low pressure, or discolored water are also advised to boil their water before use.
Instructions for Residents
Residents are warned that any water intended for consumption—such as drinking, cooking, and making ice—should be boiled for at least one minute. This advisory will remain in effect until further notice is given, pending test results that can confirm the safety of the water.
To address concerns, Columbia Water has advised residents to contact the city’s customer call center at 803-545-3300 for queries related to the water outage and boil water advisory. Officials have indicated that the advisory is a standard precaution when there is a significant drop in water pressure, which raises the potential for contamination of the municipal water supply.
Recent Water Issues
This is not the first incident involving a boil water advisory in the area. Just days prior, on Thursday, Columbia Water issued a boil water advisory for 51 customers due to another water main break. In a separate and unrelated event, the boil water advisory that had been in effect for residents on Trenholm Road, Springlake Road, Pinebrook Road, Laurel Springs Road, and Springwood Road has since been lifted, as testing confirmed the water was safe for consumption.
Officials have emphasized that the precautionary nature of boil water advisories aims to protect public health. In particular, once the situation resolves, Columbia Water will conduct necessary testing to ensure no contamination exists before lifting any advisories.
Comparative Advisory Cases
In a broader context, water authorities outside Richland County are also facing similar issues. For instance, DC Water recently issued a boil water advisory affecting approximately 4,929 customers in Northwest D.C. This advisory was triggered by a loss of system pressure on June 12, 2025. Just as in Richland County, the D.C. advisory remains precautionary until testing confirms the absence of coliform bacteria and validates the water’s safety.
In both instances, residents are warned against using home filtering devices without boiling the water first, highlighting the need for diligence in ensuring safe drinking water during water supply disruptions.
Conclusion
With the situation ongoing in Richland County, local authorities are working diligently to resolve the water main break and ensure the safety of drinking water in the affected neighborhoods. Residents are advised to follow the guidance provided and stay informed of further developments concerning their water supply.
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Additional Resources
- WIS TV: Boil Water Advisories Lifted in Lexington and Richland Counties
- KOMU: Boil Advisory Issued After Water Main Break in Columbia
- DC Water: Precautionary Boil Water Advisory
- WACH: Boil Water Advisory Lifted After Temporary Shutdown
- Columbia Missourian: Discolored Water in Columbia is Safe to Drink
- Wikipedia: Boil Water Advisory
- Google Search: Boil Water Advisories
- Google Scholar: Boil Water Advisories
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Boil Water Advisories
- Google News: Boil Water Advisories
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