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Update: Repairs Complete on Water Main Break in Lackawanna County

DUNMORE — Pennsylvania American Water said crews have completed repairs on a large break on a water main along Mill Street in Dunmore. Officials said wate...
LACKA WATER MAIN BREAK

DUNMORE -- Pennsylvania American Water said crews have completed repairs on a large break on a water main along Mill Street in Dunmore. Officials said water service should be restored to all customers by Sunday morning. Customers may have cloudy or discolored water. The boil advisory remains in effect until further notice.

Officials tell Newswatch 16 workers showed up Saturday morning to find the basement of the water plant flooded. It initially appeared as if a 42-inch water main broke, but crews later learned it was a fitting that broke off the main pipe.

According to the water company, the break happened early Saturday morning and could affect approximately 43,000 homes and businesses in the Scranton/Mid-Valley area of Lackawanna County.

The current estimate is that repairs could take approximately 24 hours to complete.

"It has to be a big pipe in order for all of these people to be without water," said Del Pierce, who lives across the street from where the water main break occurred. Pierce filled up buckets of water at his neighbor's house, the lucky neighbor that still has water.

"People can go without a shower for a couple of days, but you got to go to the bathroom," he added.

The water company said Saturday all residents in this area affected by the water main break should boil their water to prevent potential illness until further advised.

The affected areas include Scranton, Dunmore, Dickson City, Throop, Olyphant, Blakely, Peckville, Jessup, and Archbald.

Shoppers stocked up on bottled water at supermarkets, while employees at the Roosevelt Beer Garden in Dunmore had no water inside and headed home since the business closed for the day.

"We're just going to have to wait it out and see when we'll be called back into work - hopefully," exclaimed Jennifer Santarsiero.

There are water tankers available at several locations throughout the area:

  • Monahan Avenue in Dunmore (near Big Lots);
  • West Pine Street in Dunmore;
  • Dunmore High School;
  • Mill Street (nursing home) in Dunmore;
  • Moses Taylor Hospital in Scranton;
  • Regional Hospital in Scranton;
  • Lackawanna College in Scranton;
  • East Mountain - Engine 10 in Scranton;
  • Enterprise Drive in Dickson City;
  • Dunmore Street in Throop;
  • Eurkea Hose Company along East Grant Street in Olyphant;
  • Lackawanna County 911 Center in Jessup.

Customers are asked to bring their own containers when visiting a tanker for drinking water.

At the Monahan Avenue filling station, Newswatch 16 ran into Carissa Stout of Dunmore. Stout did a load of laundry just in time before the water went away. Now she's planning out for the long term, however long it goes before the water main break is fixed.

"We're going to go to the gym and work out and take a shower there for now and take it from there," she said.

A spokesperson for the water company said they hope to complete repairs overnight and restore water to customers by Sunday morning.

Pennsylvania American Water has also issued a boil water advisory for customers in the Abington area as a result of the main break. Customers in the following areas should boil their water before drinking:

  • Clarks Green
  • Clarks Summit
  • Parts of Glenburn Township
  • Parts of Scott Township
  • Parts of South Abington Township

For more information, contact Pennsylvania American Water’s customer service center at (800) 565-7292.

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