Officials Lay Out Detailed Timeline Leading Up To Boil Water Advisory.
The interim director for the Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority, Bob Weimar, says the order could be lifted by Thursday, or Friday at the latest.
It was also pointed out at a press conference Tuesday afternoon in the Mayor’s Office that no one has reported getting sick from the water.
Some members of City Council, including Councilwoman Darlene Harris who represents the North Side, wishes she had known something about the issue before Monday night.
According Weimar Monday night: “This past Friday, we identified there may be a problem at that reservoir.” That’s the Lanpher Reservoir in Shaler.
And at a press conference Tuesday afternoon, he got even more detailed, stating that a water test on Saturday showed no coliform bacteria.
While no water quality problem was found, based on the physical condition of the cover and the potential for bird dropping contamination, the Mayor’s Office was told Monday afternoon that a boil water advisory was coming.
“At 4:01, received an email from the DEP,” said Mayor’s Office Chief of Staff Kevin Acklin.
But then came a problem: Rather than the whole city boiling water, they had to show the state that the reservoir only affected a certain area.
“Spent about an hour and half clarifying one point of the order, that had to do with the impact area,” said Acklin.

PWSA precautionary boil water advsory for 18,000 customers to continue to at least Thursday.
The precautionary boil water advisory will continue through at least Thursday for Pittsburgh Water and Sewer authority customers in 19 city North Side neighborhoods plus Reserve and Millvale, a PWSA official said during a joint news conference with Mayor Bill Peduto on Tuesday.
"Frankly, I can’t say at this point with absolute certainty.
At the very latest, we hope it will be Friday, said Bob Weimar, PWSA interim director, who apologized to customers for problems the situation caused for customers.
Officials said the precautions were taken because of tears and deterioration discovered in the cover on the Lanpher reservoir.
Routine water test result on Friday, prompted a closer examination of the water system and the reservoir, but did not indicate a need for a boil water advisory.
His formal report on Monday indicated that there was a tear in the reservoir cover that risked contamination of the water by bird and animal droppings.
Weimar said that now that chlorine levels in the water have stabilized, the DEP requires acceptable water test readings on two consecutive days, at least 12 hours apart before the order can be lifted.
It’s going to take at least a decade to be able to solve the problems within PWSA and it is going to cost billions of dollars.
The mayor’s chief of staff, Kevin Acklin, said the city government’s first indication there would be a boil water advisory came in an email from the DEP at 4:01 p.m. Monday.

Discrepancies uncovered for PWSA boil water advisory still in effect.
It includes the city’s northern neighborhoods, Millvale and Reserve Township.
Channel 11 grilled city leaders several times about this latest problem with the Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority.
Channel 11 told you about the water problems Monday night: bacteria-contaminated water, possibly from a tear in the cover of the Lanpher Reservoir in Shaler Township.
Now we’ve learned the DEP is doing another investigation.
City leaders and PWSA officials told us they started looking into this Friday.
But it wasn’t until Monday that the DEP learned of tears, which led to the advisory.
“I heard as a resident before I heard as a councilwoman,” Councilwoman Darlene Harris said.
The PWSA has to have two consecutive days of negative results for any bacteria in order for DEP to lift the advisory.
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PITTSBURGH – Strong words from Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto about a boil advisory that’s impacting more than 20,000 Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority customers.
Peduto told the press Tuesday this will likely happen again.
The temporary advisory is due to deficiencies in the cover of the Lanpher reservoir that could compromise water quality.
“Once we get two consecutive samples with no detection of coliform, then we will get the order lifted.” PWSA is coordinating with the Pennsylvania Department of Environment to ensure that all regulatory requirements for disinfection continue to be met.
Flushes will also be conducted throughout the impacted area to eliminate potentially compromised water.
PWSA estimates the precautionary flush and boil water advisory affects about 18,000 homes in its service area.
Customers within the impacted area should do the following before using water for drinking, making ice, washing dishes, brushing teeth and preparing food until further notice: Customers in this service area are being advised to flush their taps and then boil their fresh water to ensure that drinking water meets or exceeds all state and federal water quality requirements.
Flushing water brings in fresh water from the main and boiling fresh water kills any bacteria and other organisms that can enter the water.
You can also use bottled water.
Impacted customers will be notified by PWSA through automated robocalls.The boil water advisory will remain in place until further notice.

SMOOTH ROCK FALLS – A boil water advisory has been issued for residents located on the north end of Fifth Street in Smooth Rock Falls.
Denis Dolbec, senior operator with the Ontario Clean Water Agency, said the advisory, which was called on Tuesday, will likely remain in effect at least until this upcoming weekend.
During repair work on Fifth Street, a water line was accidentally broken, prompting emergency repairs and subsequent the boil water advisory.
Dolbec told The Daily Press in an interview Tuesday afternoon that once the repairs to the broken valve were completed, public works would have to send two sets of water samples taken 24 hours apart for analysis.
The samples, he said, will be sent to a lab in Kirkland Lake.
If both samples come back clear of contaminants, the boil water advisory will be lifted, he said.
According to a release issued by the Town of Smooth Rock Falls: “The advisory remains in effect until test results show that the water quality is good.
The Town of Smooth Rock Falls will notify the building owners when the boil water advisory has been lifted.” Under a boil water advisory, residents who live at properties serviced by a municipal system should not drink the water, use it to brush their teeth or use it to wash fruits or vegetables, which would be consumed without cooking.
“People should ensure that water used for cooking comes to a full boil.” Aside from concerns about drinking the water, town officials assured the water is safe enough for bathing in and washing clothes.
For more information, residents are invited to contact Kevin Labarron, public works superintendent at the Town of Smooth Rock Falls, or Denis Dolbec, the regional manager with Ontario Clean Water Agency, at 705-362-8481.

SMOOTH ROCK FALLS – A boil water advisory has been issued for residents located on the north end of Fifth Street in Smooth Rock Falls.
Denis Dolbec, senior operator with the Ontario Clean Water Agency, said the advisory, which was called on Tuesday, will likely remain in effect at least until this upcoming weekend.
During repair work on Fifth Street, a water line was accidentally broken, prompting emergency repairs and subsequent the boil water advisory.
Dolbec told The Daily Press in an interview Tuesday afternoon that once the repairs to the broken valve were completed, public works would have to send two sets of water samples taken 24 hours apart for analysis.
The samples, he said, will be sent to a lab in Kirkland Lake.
If both samples come back clear of contaminants, the boil water advisory will be lifted, he said.
According to a release issued by the Town of Smooth Rock Falls: “The advisory remains in effect until test results show that the water quality is good.
The Town of Smooth Rock Falls will notify the building owners when the boil water advisory has been lifted.” Under a boil water advisory, residents who live at properties serviced by a municipal system should not drink the water, use it to brush their teeth or use it to wash fruits or vegetables, which would be consumed without cooking.
“People should ensure that water used for cooking comes to a full boil.” Aside from concerns about drinking the water, town officials assured the water is safe enough for bathing in and washing clothes.
For more information, residents are invited to contact Kevin Labarron, public works superintendent at the Town of Smooth Rock Falls, or Denis Dolbec, the regional manager with Ontario Clean Water Agency, at 705-362-8481.

PITTSBURGH – The Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority issued a precautionary flush and boil water advisory Monday night for customers in the northern neighborhoods of the city, as well as the Borough of Millvale and Reserve Township.
The advisory affects about 18,000 homes in its service area.
The impacted areas are shown on this map.
Residents who do not know if their property has lead water pipes or solder, it is recommended to first flush your lines by running water from your tap for at least one minute before boiling.
Pittsburgh Public Schools in the impacted areas will remain open.
Students will still be able to wash their hands in the bathrooms.
Food for breakfast and lunch will be prepared off-site by the school’s food service contractor.
If you cannot get to a water buffalo, city residents can call 311 for help.
Only provide pre-boiled PWSA water or bottled water.
Impacted customers will be notified by PWSA through automated robocalls.The boil water advisory will remain in place until further notice.

Water stations announced for Pittsburgh, Millvale and Reserve residents, businesses under boil advisory.
Seven water stations have been set up to help residents and businesses in Pittsburgh, Reserve and Millvale under the boil water advisory.
The water stations locations: Millvale ▪ Millvale Community Center, 416 Lincoln Ave. Reserve ▪ Reserve Volunteer Fire Department, 33 Lonsdale St. City of Pittsburgh ▪ Pressley High Rise, 601 Pressley St., North Side ▪ Pennsylvania Bidwell, 1014 Sheffield St., Manchester ▪ Fire Station 33, 3284 Central Ave., Marshall-Shadeland ▪ Fire Station 35, 1519 Orchlee St., Brighton Heights ▪ Fire Station 38, 198 Essen St., Spring Hill/Northview Heights The water distribution centers, which open at 10 a.m., will be equipped with 2,500-gallon water tanks.
City officials are asking residents to bring sanitized, portable containers to transport water from the distribution center.
Containers will not be provided.
The Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority issued the precautionary flush and boil water advisory Monday night affecting an estimated 18,000 homes and numerous schools, businesses and churches.
The advisory was issued after concerns were raised about possible contamination of the Lanpher Reservoir in Shaler.
The potential problem, officials said, has been traced to bird and animal droppings on 20-year-old reservoir covers that are torn and degrading.
Residents who are unable to get to a water distribution center can contact the city’s 311 Response Center for assistance from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Outside of Pittsburgh, call 412-255-2621.

Torn, degraded reservoir covers found at Lanpher Reservoir Tens of thousands of residents in Pittsburgh’s northern neighborhoods are under a “boil water” advisory Tuesday morning after concerns were raised about possible contamination of the Lanpher Reservoir in Shaler.
The potential problem, officials said, has been traced to bird and animal droppings on 20-year-old reservoir covers that are torn and degrading.
Water stations will be set up — at locations to be announced Tuesday morning — for residents who cannot boil water.
And they cannot be protected from birds and animals, which can cause perforations, Mr. Weimar said.
The mayor, however, said the city is going to take a costly hit.
“We will not be able to solve the problems at PWSA in a few years.
There are numerous issues and if one thing goes down within this authority, the potential of not having water in this city is very real.
It’s going to take many years to create the type of system that this city deserves and it’s going to cost billions of dollars, and they’re floating in debt and can’t borrow the money they need.
We want to be able, in the next 12 years, to provide a system of safe drinking water that will take us to 2080.
It doesn’t come easy and it won’t be solved in less than 10 years.” Customers with questions on the advisory can visit www.pgh2o.com or call the authority’s customer service line at 412-255-2423.

Problems that led to PWSA boil water advisory traced to bird and animal droppings at reservoir, officials say.
Tens of thousands of residents in Pittsburgh’s northern neighborhoods are under a “boil water” advisory Tuesday morning after concerns were raised about possible contamination of the Lanpher Reservoir in Shaler.
Water stations will be set up — at locations to be announced Tuesday morning — for residents who cannot boil water.
Mayor Bill Peduto, in a late-night news conference with PWSA interim director Bob Weimar, stressed that the advisory was being issued “out of an abundance of caution” after some tests showed potential contamination on Friday.
And they cannot be protected from birds and animals, which can cause perforations, Mr. Weimar said.
The reservoir is made up of two cells — a smaller east cell and the larger west cell, the cover of which is in worse shape.
“We will not be able to solve the problems at PWSA in a few years.
There are numerous issues and if one thing goes down within this authority, the potential of not having water in this city is very real.
We want to be able, in the next 12 years, to provide a system of safe drinking water that will take us to 2080.
It doesn’t come easy and it won’t be solved in less than 10 years.” Customers with questions on the advisory can visit www.pgh2o.com or call the authority’s customer service line at 412-255-2423.