UPDATE: The boil water notice has been lifted as of Saturday, June 5.
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WILKES-BARRE, Pa. — Penn State Wilkes-Barre is issuing a temporary boil water notice due to an accidental water line break during a construction project on campus.
During construction activities, a small water line was struck and developed a leak. To repair the leak, a section of the water main needed to be isolated.
Due to a loss of positive water pressure resulting from the water service line break, there may be an increased risk of microbial contamination from water sources in the water on the Penn State Wilkes-Barre campus. The existing pipe and repair parts were disinfected with sodium hypochlorite (bleach) and the water line was thoroughly flushed prior to returning to service, however, loss of positive water pressure is a signal of the existence of conditions that could allow contamination to enter the distribution system. As a result, there is an increased chance that the water may contain harmful organisms.
Water quality samples are being collected to confirm the water is safe to drink. Once the results are received from the laboratory, the boil water notice will be lifted.
As a precaution, boiled or bottled water should be used for drinking, making ice, brushing teeth, washing dishes and food preparation until further notice. Boiling kills bacteria and other organisms in the water. Bring all water to a rolling boil, let it boil for one minute, and let it cool before using.
Penn State will announce when the precaution to boil water is lifted.
For more information, contact Sean McHale, director of business services at Penn State Wilkes-Barre, at 570-675-9110 or spm4@psu.edu.