Customers in Monongahela, Carroll Township under boil water advisory
About 1,300 customers in portions of Monongahela and Carroll Township in Washington County are being asked to boil their water before using it.
According to a release from Pennsylvania American Water, a broken main on Monday caused a loss in positive water pressure. That in turn led to the company’s limited ability to replenish the water storage tank and local system.
“A loss of positive water pressure is a signal of the existence of conditions that could allow contamination to enter the distribution system through backflow by back pressure or back-siphonage. As a result, there is an increased chance that the water might contain disease-causing organisms,” company External Affairs Manager Gary Lobaugh said in a release.
The notice applies to Monongahela customers east of the Sheetz store on East Main Street, and to Carroll Township customers south of the Monongahela Cemetery.
Lobaugh specifically noted customers Eldora, Black Diamond, Grandview, Wickerham Manor, Carroll Plan, Sacred Heart and the Victory Hill areas are impacted by the advisory.
The company advised that all water should be brought to a rolling boil for at least one minute and cooled before use. Only boiled or bottled water should be used for drinking, making ice, washing dishes, brushing teeth or food preparation until further notice.
While the break has been repaired, the company is collecting and analyzing additional water quality samples before lifting the advisory.
The company will start required water sampling after the water storage tank and distribution system have reached adequate levels, which is anticipated sometime Tuesday evening, Lobaugh said, adding that this sampling represents the first round of tests necessary before the boil advisory can be lifted.
The company said it expects to collect a second round of samples sometime Wednesday morning or afternoon. According to state Department of Environmental Protection guidelines, the advisory could be lifted by Thursday pending the results of two successful rounds of sampling 12 hours apart.