A boil-water advisory was issued by the town as a precaution.
The advisory could be cancelled as early as Wednesday, officials said, pending the results of a second round of tests.
“We’re not saying there was contamination, but it’s a good idea to boil,” utilities foreman Adam Genis said Monday afternoon.
Officials at the Westville campus of Purdue University Northwest cancelled classes Tuesday because of the advisory.
No classes were scheduled Monday because of the Martin Luther King Day holiday, and classes were expected to resume at noon Wednesday, according to a statement from the university.
“Due to an unforeseen valve malfunction at the water plant, you may be experiencing low water pressure, and until further notice we are under a boil advisory,” a recording from Town Hall says.
“We apologize for any inconvenience.” High-service pumps used to restore water levels depleted by normal consumption were never turned on because the control unit “had no idea what the levels were,” Genis said.
Genis said an initial round of testing Monday showed the presence of chlorine at each of the sample sites, indicating any bacteria would have been killed, but a second round of tests is scheduled for Tuesday, with results expected by 10 a.m. Wednesday.
Engineers were expected to take a closer look at the system this week and make recommendations to the town board about permanent repairs.