Water restrictions for about 250 Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County customers in McKeesport will remain in place for a least several additional days as officials await results from ongoing testing to determine if dangerous chemicals used to fight a fire last weekend contaminated a section of the city’s water system.
Authority officials said Wednesday that residents in the city’s Lower 10th Ward, which includes several blocks between West 5th Avenue and the Monongahela River, should continue to use bottled water to drink and for hygiene purposes.
“Our hope is we will have an all clear by this weekend, but we’re still waiting for test results,” said authority Manager Michael Kukura.
McKeesport residents in the impacted area were directed Wednesday to flush all water lines in their homes and businesses.
Officials said water from all faucets, spigots, toilets and appliances should be run for at least two minutes as a means to ensure potential contaminates are removed from their homes.
Authority officials issued a “Do Not Drink” order after suspicions arose that firefighting foam used to extinguish a blaze in the city on July 16 was sucked into a hydrant and potentially contaminated the water distribution system. The authority has since flushed it’s pipes and has sent off water samples to a private laboratory in Lancaster.
Samples are being driven daily across the state to the lab and that process will continue indefinitely. So far, no contaminates have been detected in the city’s water supply, Kukura said.
Meanwhile, the state’s Department of Environmental Protection has been monitoring the testing and will make a final determination when water restrictions can be lifted, according to agency spokeswoman Lauren Fraley.
“DEP is reviewing all MAWC’s sample results as they come in and provide suggestions and guidance to MAWC for further sampling and investigations. DEP is also in communication with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for additional guidance and insight,” Fraley wrote in an email.
The authority has made water available to residents via water buffaloes stationed on Atlantic Avenue at the city’s sewage plant, on Perry Street and at R & W Oil. Bottled water will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis at a location on Ann and Atlantic streets. Residents who need bottled water delivered to their homes can call the authority at 412 675-5021.
McKeesport Area High School has made showers available for residents to use between 6 a.m. to 8 p.m., the authority said.
Rich Cholodofsky is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Rich at 724-830-6293, rcholodofsky@triblive.com or via Twitter .
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July 22, 2021 at 06:07AM
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Do Not Drink order remains in place for McKeesport water customers; residents directed to flush home water fixtures - TribLIVE
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