Officials at Pennsylvania American Water Company say residents in the South Hills no longer need to boil their water before use or take any additional precautions.
The advisory was lifted Sunday morning.
Meanwhile, work crews continue to work to reopen Becks Run Road following last week’s water line break on Agnew Road. Penn American said the company expects the road to be open and have normal traffic patterns for Monday morning’s commute.
Acceptable test results were obtained from samples collected on Friday and Saturday, and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection has authorized lifting the advisory, according to the utility.
According to Tribune-Review news partner WPXI, more than 400,000 residents across 30 communities had been affected by the early Friday morning water main break in Pittsburgh’s Carrick neighborhood.
Showering is fine, but any water consumed should be boiled first. Here is an info sheet on Boil Water Advisories. There is more info on our website as well. https://t.co/x0rCgig551
— Pennsylvania American Water (@paamwater) September 21, 2019
A precautionary boil water advisory remains in effect for customers in higher elevations and our South Hills of Pittsburgh service areas. For more information on affected areas and water tanker locations ? https://t.co/WWkV1ZPiW2 pic.twitter.com/ukMEOw6dHh
— Pennsylvania American Water (@paamwater) September 21, 2019
Neighborhoods under the advisory include: Baldwin, Baldwin Township, Bethel Park, Brentwood, Bridgeville, Carnegie, Castle Shannon, Clairton, Collier, City of Pittsburgh, Crafton, Dormont, Dravosburg, Green Tree, Heidelberg, Homestead, Ingram, Jefferson Borough, Mt. Lebanon, Mt. Oliver, Munhall, North Fayette, Oakdale, Pennsbury, Pleasant Hills, Rosslyn Farms, Scott Township, South Fayette, South Park, Thornburg, Upper St. Clair, West Allegheny County Municipal Authority, West Homestead, West Mifflin, Whitaker and Whitehall. Only Pittsburgh residents who are Pennsylvania American customers are affected. They live south of the Ohio and Monongahela rivers.
A map can be found here.
Becks Run Road is closed between Agnew and Carson streets until further notice. The approved detour route for Becks Run, in the event its needed, is: Carson Street to Glass Run Road to Churchview Avenue to Brownsville Road and back to Becks Run, Pennsylvania American Water spokesman Gary Lobaugh said in an update Saturday.
The approved detour route for Becks Run is: Carson Street to Glass Run Road to Churchview Avenue to Brownsville Road and back to Becks Run.
Service to about 30 customers on East Agnew Street was restored Saturday afternoon, Loubaugh said.
Pennsylvania state law requires two clean water tests 24-hours apart before the Department of Environmental Protection will allow the advisory to be lifted. Loubaugh said the company ran its second round of tests Saturday morning and expected to have the results early Sunday.
PennAmerican Water has set up 15 tankers of potable water about the South Hills.
— Pennsylvania American Water (@paamwater) September 20, 2019
Carrick resident Rose Gitzen, 78, was carried out of her home Friday by firefighters after her home was flooded by rushing waters.
“We were so scared,” Gitzen said. “It’s the scariest thing that ever happened to me my whole life. My house is going to be gone.”
Power was cut in the area because of compromised power poles, according to Pittsburgh Public Safety.
Power has been cut in area due to compromised power poles. More updates to come from @PghPublicSafety Twitter. https://t.co/drg4q23DbJ pic.twitter.com/jpTpZlXt2h
— Pgh Public Safety (@PghPublicSafety) September 20, 2019
Pittsburgh Public Safety Director Wendell Hissrich initially criticized Pennsylvania American Water for what he described as failure to respond to the incident in “a timely manner.”
Lobaugh said the company was in contact with the city’s Department of Public Works throughout the event.
“We’ll reach out to the public safety director to figure out where the disconnect is to improve communications with his team,” he said.
Samson X Horne is a Tribune-Review digital producer. You can contact Samson at 412-320-7845, shorne@tribweb.com or via Twitter @spinal_tapp. Staff writer Rich Cholodofsky contributed to this report.
