ASHLEY-- Residents of the Ashley Park mobile home community nearly made it through the winter without a water problem, due in part to a program that replaced the heat lines of many units.
But on Saturday afternoon something went wrong with the water.
Now the several hundred people who live here had to improvise to take care of everyday needs
Diane Bennet said,"We go to Family Dollar and buy water so we can flush toilets and cook."
Manager Dean Summa said on Saturday when the water went out, the problem was believed to be coming from a nearby municipal water main. However, it turned out to actually be a broken pipe located inside the park. That means Pennsylvania American Water is not responsible for the fix.
The utility did provide tankers, which residents say had issues of their own.
Frank Hughes said,"They froze over last night and I was down there for an hour thawing it out so people could use the buffalo tanks."
As Hughes delivered jugs of water to a invalid neighbor, he wondered if he will get to shower before heading back to work Monday.
One challenge is finding just where the breach is located.
Contractors said since the trailer park is built on breaker rock left over from mining, water is flowing straight into the ground, leaving no visible clue of its source.
Since they can't see the problem, workers are using sensitive listening devices, called geophones to attempt to hear where the repair is needed.
By Sunday afternoon, park manager Dean Summa said that the contractors decided the most likely location of the pipe problem is the rear of the park, and an excavator is being brought in.