A major water-main break on December 7, 2025 has led to a precautionary boil water advisory for residents of the Belvedere subdivision and nearby areas in Columbia. According to Columbia Water Services, the incident caused a significant pressure drop in the affected distribution lines — prompting officials to warn households to take safety precautions until water-quality tests confirm the supply is safe.

Repair crews are working to fix the damaged main and begin thorough testing. Meanwhile, customers are urged to follow the advisory strictly to reduce any risk of contamination.

---

What Residents Should Do Immediately

Until the advisory is lifted, Columbia Water Services recommends residents in the Belvedere area:

• Bring all tap water to a rolling boil for at least one minute before drinking, cooking, washing produce or making ice.
• Use boiled or bottled water for brushing teeth, preparing infant formula, or cooking.
• Discard any ice made since the pipe break; do not use automatic icemakers until further notice.
• Run faucets for a few minutes when service is restored to flush out any sediment before using tap water for drinking or cooking.

These steps help ensure that any potential contaminants from the disrupted system are neutralised before water enters your body.

---

What NOT to Do During the Advisory

To stay safe while testing is underway:

• Do not drink or cook with unboiled tap water — even if it looks clear.
• Don’t rely on fridge or countertop filters as substitutes for boiling; most do not remove microbial contaminants.
• Avoid using ice from automatic dispensers.
• Don’t prepare infant formula or food with unboiled water.

These precautions are standard when pressure loss could compromise water quality, as explained on Columbia Water’s advisory guidelines. City of Columbia Water+1

---

Why This Happened — And Why It Matters

Water-main breaks, such as the one in Belvedere, can dislodge sediment, introduce soil or untreated water into the pipes, or lower disinfectant levels. When pressure drops, the protective barrier against contamination weakens — and that’s why advisories are issued even before contamination is confirmed. City of Columbia Water+2HERE Columbia+2

Water-system tests must then confirm safety before authorities lift the advisory. This process ensures public health while balancing prompt return of service.

---

Optional: Added Protection for Households After Advisory Is Lifted

Once the boil-water advisory is lifted and safe supply restored, some households consider adding a certified point-of-use filtration system. A reverse-osmosis unit certified under NSF/ANSI 58 can reduce contaminants such as PFAS, disinfection byproducts, and dissolved solids — providing long-term water quality assurance. View Waterdrop Reverse Osmosis System

---

Sources & Notes

• Columbia Water Main Break Affects Residents In Belvedere — HereColumbia.com, Dec 7 2025. HERE Columbia
• Water main break affects Columbia’s Belvedere subdivision, surrounding area — WLTX news, Dec 7 2025. wltx.com
• Columbia Water Services — Boil Water Advisory Guidelines (Water-line breaks, pressure loss, public guidance). City of Columbia Water