Parkersburg, West Virginia Water Outage Today
Live Parkersburg water outage reports, Parkersburg Utility Board’s emergency line and the system’s federal record.
Weather data by Open-Meteo.com
No water outage reports in Parkersburg, West Virginia in the last 24 hours
Who supplies water in Parkersburg?
Drinking water in Parkersburg, West Virginia is supplied by Parkersburg Utility Board, which handles outages, main breaks and boil water notices for the city.
Public water systems in West Virginia are regulated by the West Virginia Office of Environmental Health Services.
To report no water or a main break, call Parkersburg Utility Board at 304-424-8532.
Who runs the water in Parkersburg: system profile
Parkersburg Utility Board is the water system EPA lists for Parkersburg, serving about 34,251 people.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Water system in EPA records | Parkersburg Utility Board (WV3305407) |
| Run by | Local government |
| People served | 34,251 through 15,996 service connections |
| Source of the water | Groundwater under the influence of surface water |
| Active facilities listed by EPA | 5 active wells, 1 treatment point, 7 storage tanks and reservoirs, 12 pump facilities |
| State regulator | West Virginia Office of Environmental Health Services |
| Health-based violations since 2015 | 2 |
| Highest lead result (90th percentile) | 1.6 ppb, action level 15 ppb |
Source: EPA SDWIS (Safe Drinking Water Information System).
What feeds the taps in Parkersburg
Parkersburg Utility Board draws on a mix of sources, according to EPA records. Treatment points named in EPA's facility list include Treatment Plant. After treatment the water is held in 7 storage tanks and reservoirs and pushed uphill by 12 pump facilities; that storage is the buffer that keeps taps running for a few hours after a pump or main fails.
What this means in an outage. Check the notices from Parkersburg Utility Board first; the cause of a service interruption depends on which source feeds your zone.
What causes water outages and low pressure in Parkersburg
Which failures hit Parkersburg hardest follows from its weather, its housing stock and how it is supplied.
- Freezing weather. Parkersburg sees about 110 days a year with a low at or below 32°F, and 24 days at or below 20°F. The coldest morning in the 2015 through 2025 record came on January 31, 2019. The longest stretch with highs that never rose above freezing ran 15 days, ending January 8, 2018. Frozen service lines and meters cause single-address outages, while ground frost and thaw cycles crack older mains and produce the street-wide breaks.
- Older neighborhoods and pipe. 71.7% of occupied homes in Parkersburg were built before 1970, against 35.5% nationally. Streets of that age tend to sit on cast iron and early steel mains that are near or past their design life, which is where most breaks start.
- Flooding and heavy rain. NOAA logged 65 flood, flash flood and heavy rain reports in Wood County from 2015 through 2026, and 4 days a year bring an inch of rain or more. Floodwater can undercut pipe crossings, swamp pump stations and overload treatment plants, and a notice to boil water often follows when it enters the system.
- Storm-driven power loss. Thunderstorm wind, hail and tornado reports in Wood County number 163 since 2015. Pump stations and treatment plants that depend on Mon Power (FirstEnergy) run on the electric grid, so a storm that downs power lines can lower water pressure even when no pipe is damaged.
- Damage from other crews. Water mains share the ground with gas, power and telecom lines, and a strike by any contractor can dry up a block in seconds.
- Scheduled work, or a fault inside your own home. Utilities warn customers before a planned shutoff. If nothing was announced and the neighbors are fine, the cause is probably your shutoff valve, meter or pressure regulator.
How weather strains the Parkersburg water system
Main break season in Parkersburg runs from late fall into early spring, with the coldest stretch around December through February.
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Days a year at or below 32°F | 110 |
| Days a year at or below 20°F | 24.5 |
| Days a year with a high at or below 32°F | 18.5 |
| Days a year at or above 95°F | 5.4 |
| Days a year at or above 100°F | 0.3 |
| Days a year with an inch of rain or more | 3.5 |
| Average annual precipitation | 41.7 in |
| Wettest year | 2018 (55.8 in) |
| Driest year | 2021 (36.8 in) |
| Coldest day in the record | January 31, 2019 |
| Hottest day in the record | June 15, 2022 |
Source: NASA POWER daily reanalysis (MERRA-2) for the city center, 2015–2025.
Freezing days peak in January, averaging 26.2 a year. Source: NASA POWER reanalysis, 2015–2025.
The wettest year was 2018 with 55.8 inches; the driest was 2021 with 36.8. Source: NASA POWER reanalysis, 2015–2025.
Because this is gridded reanalysis data, individual hot and cold days can read a few degrees off what the airport recorded. The day counts and yearly patterns are the useful part.
Boil water advisories and the federal violation record for Parkersburg
EPA lists 2 health-based violations for Parkersburg Utility Board since 2015. It also lists 6 monitoring or reporting entries that are about paperwork rather than water quality, such as a missed sample or a late report.
Most recent health-based entries:
- October 2023: Not correcting a significant deficiency on time under the Ground Water Rule It is marked resolved.
- October 2023: Not correcting a significant deficiency on time under the Ground Water Rule It is marked resolved.
| Type of violation | Health-based | Monitoring and other |
|---|---|---|
| Ground water rule | 2 | 0 |
| Public notice and annual reports | 0 | 3 |
| Disinfection byproducts | 0 | 2 |
| Chemical and radiological contaminants | 0 | 1 |
Source: EPA SDWIS.
Monitoring and other Health-based
Violations are counted by the year the compliance period began. Source: EPA SDWIS.
Boil water notices in Parkersburg are precautions, not findings. When pressure drops, Parkersburg Utility Board tells affected customers to boil water until two rounds of lab tests are clean, a process that normally takes 24 to 48 hours after service is restored, under oversight from the West Virginia Office of Environmental Health Services.
Lead, older pipes and water quality in Parkersburg
The most recent 90th-percentile lead result filed for Parkersburg Utility Board is 1.6 ppb (2025). The federal action level is 15 ppb, so that result is well under it.
Highest result on file: 1.6 ppb. Source: EPA SDWIS.
71.7% of occupied homes in Parkersburg were built before 1970, and lead service lines and solder stayed legal until the federal ban in 1986. After any outage that disturbs the pipes, run the cold tap 30 seconds to 2 minutes before drinking, and ask Parkersburg Utility Board about its lead service line inventory.
How long a water outage lasts in Parkersburg
Most repairs of an ordinary main break in Parkersburg take half a day once the crew is on site. Bigger mains, deep bury and busy roads stretch that to a day or more.
| Situation | Typical time |
|---|---|
| Planned shutoff | The posted window, though crews often finish ahead of it |
| Ordinary main break | Roughly 4 to 8 working hours |
| Large or deep main | One to three days, longer if parts must be ordered |
| Low pressure after a pump or power failure | As long as the outage itself, plus a few hours to refill tanks |
| Boil water notice after service returns | One to two days while samples are tested |
| Frozen service line or meter | Until it thaws or a plumber repairs it |
Source: Utility practice, EPA and state boil water guidance.
For a break that affects many customers, Parkersburg Utility Board usually posts an estimated restoration time. When you call, ask the dispatcher what the crew has told them.
Preparing for a long water outage in Parkersburg
With about 2.2 people in the typical Parkersburg home, FEMA's one-gallon-per-person-per-day rule means 7 gallons covers three days and 31 gallons covers two weeks.
- 21.6% of residents are 65 or older (US 17.2%); older adults dehydrate faster and may need help moving heavy water jugs.
- 19.3% of residents report a disability (US 13.3%), so check on neighbors who rely on running water for medical equipment.
- Your water heater tank holds 30 to 50 gallons of clean water. Turn off the power or gas to it first, then drain from the valve at the bottom.
- Fill a tub or large containers early for toilets, cleaning and handwashing, and store drinking water separately in clean bottles.
How Parkersburg compares with nearby water systems
| City | System | People served | Source | Health violations since 2015 | Highest lead (ppb) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Parkersburg, WV | Parkersburg Utility Board | 34,251 | Mixed | 2 | 1.6 |
| Charleston, WV | West Virginia American Water-Kanawha Valley Dist | 209,283 | Surface | 0 | 0 |
| Wheeling, WV | Wheeling | 29,899 | Surface | 4 | 4.2 |
| Huntington, WV | West Virginia American Water (Huntington district) | 98,647 | Surface | 1 | 1 |
| Morgantown, WV | Morgantown Utility Board | 66,851 | Surface | 0 | 0.8 |
Source: EPA SDWIS.
Water outage pages for nearby cities
Charleston, WV · Wheeling, WV · Huntington, WV · Morgantown, WV
Where to find official Parkersburg water notices
Official word on main breaks, planned shutoffs and boil advisories comes from Parkersburg Utility Board, not from this page. Our water outage guide explains what each kind of notice asks you to do.
Parkersburg water outage questions
Who do I call about no water in Parkersburg?
Parkersburg Utility Board at 304-424-8532, day or night. Use 911 only if a main break is flooding property or roads.
Is Parkersburg water from a river, lake or well?
EPA records for Parkersburg Utility Board say Parkersburg relies on a mix of sources.
Can you drink the tap water in Parkersburg?
EPA lists 2 health-based violations for Parkersburg Utility Board since 2015, most recently not correcting a significant deficiency on time under the Ground Water Rule in October 2023, and its latest 90th-percentile lead result is 1.6 ppb against the 15 ppb action level. Follow any boil water notice until the utility says it is over.
When do water mains break most in Parkersburg?
Winter, mostly. Parkersburg sees roughly 110 days a year at or below freezing, and the peak runs December through February. Expect breaks to cluster just after sharp temperature swings.
Why is my water pressure low in Parkersburg?
A sudden drop usually means a break or valve problem nearby, while a slow decline in the evening points to demand. If the whole street is affected, tell Parkersburg Utility Board; if not, look at your own regulator and shutoff.
How long does a boil water notice last in Parkersburg?
Typically a day or two. Bacteria tests take about 24 hours, so Parkersburg Utility Board cannot end a notice until clean samples come back; the West Virginia Office of Environmental Health Services sets the rules for that process.
How much water should a Parkersburg household store?
Store at least three days of water, and two weeks if you can. With about 2.2 people in a typical Parkersburg home, that is roughly 7 and 31 gallons.
Are there lead service lines in Parkersburg?
Lead pipe was legal until 1986, and 71.7% of occupied homes in Parkersburg predate 1970, so it is possible in older neighborhoods. Parkersburg Utility Board can tell you what your service line is made of; a lead-certified filter is a sensible precaution if you are unsure.
Is there a water outage map for Parkersburg?
There is no pipe-level map on this site. The report counter above reflects what residents of Parkersburg have sent in over the last day, and Parkersburg Utility Board has the official word on main breaks, planned shutoffs and boil notices.
More outage pages for Parkersburg and nearby
Other outage types in Parkersburg
Water Service Outages in cities near Parkersburg
- Charleston, WV 63 mi · West Virginia American Water
- Wheeling, WV 71 mi · City of Wheeling Water
- Huntington, WV 75 mi · West Virginia American Water
- Morgantown, WV 89 mi · Morgantown Utility Board
- Columbus, OH 90 mi · Columbus Division of Water
- Canton, OH 106 mi · City of Canton Water Department · 1 report in 24h
Report counts are user-submitted; other figures name their official source. How our data works
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