JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash. — UPDATE: Joint Base Lewis-McChord now says the “do not drink” advisory for people in the McChord area has been lifted. The base said in a statement, “American Water has since completed system flushing and water testing. Additionally, Madigan Public Health has independently verified the chlorine levels are within the safe range established by the EPA.”
The base went on to say if you drank the water and have throat irritation to call the Madigan Appointment Line at 1-800-404-4506. They say everyone affected should flush their water for five minutes, but if the water still has a strong chlorine smell, flush for another half hour and call American Water at 253-967-3131.
On Wednesday afternoon, Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM) Military Housing Office and Liberty Military Housing issued a “Do Not Drink” notice Wednesday for residents of the McChord Housing Area.
The notice asked residents to refrain from using the water until further notice.
According to the statement, American Water and Madigan Army Medical Center Public Health technicians tested and evaluated the water to ensure its safety.
The action was taken after an equipment malfunction led to over-chlorination in the water system Wednesday morning.
JBLM said American Water experienced a chemical feed malfunction, resulting in higher-than-normal chlorine levels in the water supply.
American Water crews flushed the water lines and conducted on-site testing to resolve the issue, according to the statement.
Madigan Army Medical Center Public Health technicians also conducted their independent testing to confirm the water was safe to use.
They encourage residents to monitor the JBLM Facebook page, as well as communications from Liberty Military Housing and the JBLM Military Housing Office for updates.
During the “Do Not Drink” advisory, Liberty Military Housing provided the following statement:
“Liberty does not supply the water to McChord Housing. American Water is responsible for supplying and monitoring the quality of water within the community. On January 15, 2025, the Department of Public Works and property management sent the below communications on behalf of American Water to all McChord Housing Residents to provide an update on the situation and how it is being resolved.”
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