Water District 19 issues boil water notice to some customers | UPDATED
Published 10:19 pm Friday, January 30, 2026
Water District 19 issued a drinking water warning to some of its customers on Friday, informing them to boil their tap water before drinking due to possible contamination caused by low pressure after an excavator struck a water main on SW 216th Street and 86th Ave SW.
Read the advisory at tinyurl.com/3a7behbr.
According to water operator Helen Westphal, notifications were sent by robocalls and emails to about 188 customers in the general area on Friday. The notice is also posted to the district website, at water19.com.
But the boil water notice, Westphal said, pertains only to what she estimated to be “a few dozen” homes located along 216th Street, west of Tramp Harbor Road SW to Monument Road, and to homes along Monument Road SW that are located south of SW 211th Street.
A more detailed map sent to The Beachcomber on Sunday by John Martinak, the district’s general manager, shows the affected area in more broad detail, indicating some residences on 86th Ave SW near that street’s intersection with 216th Street are also subject to the boil water advisory.
During the excavator accident, the water main pipe was damaged, causing water loss and low pressure for some customers in the area, Westphal said. And although crews repaired the pipe after the accident, the Washington Department of Health requires that water be tested to ensure its safety after such accidents.
Until then, customers in the affected area are advised to boil all water to a rolling boil for one minute, and then let cool before using. According to the notification sent to customers and also posted on the district’s website, affected customers should use boiled or purchased water for drinking, making ice, brushing teeth, washing dishes and food preparation.
“When low pressure loss occurs, contamination from the environment or from human or animal waste can be drawn into the water system,” Water District 19’s notice said. “Microbes in these wastes can cause short-term health effects, such as diarrhea, cramps, nausea, headaches or other symptoms. These may pose special health risks for infants, young children, the elderly and people with compromised immune systems.”
In a text message, Martinak said that he hopes to have the coliform samples currently being tested back by Monday morning. “If they are coliform absent, we can lift the boil water advisory,” he said. “If the results indicated coliform, we will repeat flushing of the main and resampling.”
Martinak clarified that coliform bacteria is not as harmful as E. coli or fecal bacteria, but is used as an indicator of the potential of harmful bacteria.
Westphal, in turns, urged District 19 customers to be sure that the district has their current telephone numbers and email addresses for timely notifications about water advisories.
For more information, call Water District 19 at 206-463-9007, email water19@water19.com or visit water19.com.
