Water buffaloes in place during boil-water situation
Communities under boil water advisory
Courtesy of Pennsylvania American Water
A boil water advisory is in effect until Wednesday night for at least 100,000 customers in Allegheny and Washington counties.
Rick Shrum/Observer-Reporter
This water buffalo was placed in Washington Park about noon Tuesday.
Linda Ritzer/Observer-Reporter
A sign at 84 Fitness Center warns patrons not to drink from the water fountain Tuesday morning.
Water buffaloes have become part of the Washington County landscape.
With a boil-water advisory still in force Tuesday, Pennsylvania American Water Co. was working to place the huge plastic tanks of potable water in locations throughout the county and the southern tier of Allegheny County. An estimated 100,000 customers are affected.
The advisory is expected to run at least into this afternoon.
PAWC issued the alert Monday after tests showed high turbidity levels, or cloudiness, in the water. The company said turbidity will not cause health problems, but may indicate the presence of bacteria, parasites and/or viruses.
Spokeswoman Melissa Walters said the problem was corrected Monday night at the company’s plant in Elrama, Union Township, but she did not know the cause.
Residents who boil water are advised to do so for one minute, then let it cool before drinking, making ice, brushing teeth, washing dishes or preparing food.
Pennsylvania American was working with local water service firms on placing the buffaloes. Residents using them must bring containers to gather the water.
As of late Tuesday afternoon, portable water buffaloes had been placed at 14 public locations in Washington County: Washington Park in Washington; Washington Mall, South Strabane Township; the municipal building and Canonsburg Dam parking lot in Peters Township; North Franklin Township Fire Department; Canonsburg United Presbyterian Church; Hanover Township (11 Municipal Drive); Morris Township (77 Park Drive); Smith Township Municipal Building; Cecil Township VFW; Monongahela Volunteer Fire Department; Carroll Township Volunteer Fire Department; North Strabane Fire Department; and Elrama Volunteer Fire Company in Union Township.
A water tank also was delivered to the county courthouse for inmates at the jail.
Seven portable water tanks were set up in Allegheny County, including Bethel Park Community Center, South Fayette Township Library, South Park Township Library and Upper St Clair Community & Recreation Center.
South Fayette School District canceled Tuesday classes over the water situation. Washington schools were closed for an in-service day.
Having a clean, alternate water source has enabled Washington Hospital to continue to operate. The facility has a distribution system hooked up to a water buffalo. “We’ve had no issues. We’ve been fully operational,” spokeswoman Stephanie Wagoner said.
Area restaurant operators on Tuesday were taking precautions to stay open for their customers.
At Angelo’s in North Franklin Township, owner Michael Passalacqua said the restaurant was substituting plastic ware for its glasses, plates and silverware.
“We’re going to be using all bottled products” for beverages, Passalacqua said, adding that the staff had emptied and cleaned the ice machine, and commercially produced ice was purchased.
“You could call it a picnic,” Passalacqua joked, adding, “I think most of the guests will understand” the restrictions for the next 48 hours. He said Angelo’s will repeat its precautionary measures again on Wednesday.
An employee at the Union Grill said Tuesday the restaurant had been boiling everything since Monday and that business was normal at the popular East Wheeling Street venue.
The advisory prompted Eat’n Park at South Hills Village in Bethel Park to close around 11 a.m. Tuesday, an employee who answered the phone said. The staffer said the restaurant will not reopen until after the advisory is over.
The situation also has sparked a run on bottled water in grocery and big-box stores, limiting their supplies.
Observer-Reporter business editor Michael Bradwell contributed to this report.