NORTH EAST — More than 4,600 borough and township residents, as well as commercial and industrial customers of the borough’s water system are required to boil their drinking water until further notice at the direction of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.
The Department of Environmental Protection, during a scheduled inspection of a filter plant, discovered tears and standing water on the floating cover of the Fairchild Reservoir, which stores treated water ready for distribution to customers.
The borough is working to replace the cover as soon as possible, according to North East Borough Manager Patrick Gehrlein.
It has not detected any contaminants in excess of “numerical limits” and will continue to test the water until the repairs are completed.
A notice from the DEP says the North East Borough Water Department failed to notify the state agency about the tears in the reservoir cover within 24 hours.
Water should be brought to a boil from one minute and then allowed to cool before consuming. The advisory includes the use of water for washing dishes, making ice, brushing teeth and food preparation, in addition to drinking.