Thousands of Prince George’s County residents could once again be able to drink their tap water today, if a second round of tests for bacteria after a weekend pipe break comes back negative and a boil water advisory is lifted. A break in a 12-inch water main occurred about 2:30 a.m. Saturday in the area around Central Avenue and the Capital Beltway, causing a loss of water pressure or water service for a roughly 39-square-mile area of the county.

Water service was restored around 5:30 Sunday, but a boil water advisory remains in effect for the 3,100 customer accounts in the affected region. Officials with Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission, the utility that serves both Montgomery and Prince George’s counties, say tap water should be boiled for one minute, then cooled, before it is used for drinking, washing dishes, brushing teeth or preparing food. The first round of tests for coliform and e. coli bacteria came back negative Monday afternoon, and officials said the second and final round of test results are expected Tuesday morning.