UPDATE: The boil water advisory was lifted on Friday, Feb. 6. Residents were notified by the Lower Saucon Authority by telephone.
A major water main break on a critical 10-inch main early Tuesday led to the temporary closure of Bingen Road near Hickory Hill Road and left sections of Lower Saucon Township without any water or with discolored water.
According to a statement posted on the Lower Saucon Authority website, the break occurred near Bingen Road and Mildred Drive just before 4 a.m., and resulted in a significant loss of water pressure throughout the central portion of the LSA system.
The water main break reportedly caused significant icing in the area, where crews were on the scene to repair it.
According to the authority, “the area was valved off and isolated, and pressures were restored in the core area starting around 6:30 a.m.”
A boil water advisory for the affected area–which includes much of western Lower Saucon Township–has also been issued.
The advisory applies to customers in the central portion of the Lower Saucon Authority system, which is generally bounded by Rt. 378 to the west, and Hickory Hill, Bingen, Black River and Colesville roads to the south and east (see map).
Customers in this area have LSA account numbers starting with 1, 4, 6, 7 and 8.
The boil water advisory does not apply to customers in the University Heights, Steel City, Applebutter Road, Four Seasons, Society Hill, Meadowview, O’Brien’s Farm, Deer Run, Skibo/Meadows Road and Hellertown Park areas, who are served off a separate system.
The boil water advisory is expected to be in effect for two to three days, until biological laboratory tests verify that the water is potable. Affected customers will be notified that it has been lifted via the authority’s phone messaging system.
In the meantime, affected residents are advised to use bottled water or bring all water to a rolling boil, let it boil for one to three minutes and let it cool before using it. Boiled or bottled water should be used for drinking, making ice, brushing teeth, because of the risk of bacteria and other organisms that may be in the water.
According to the statement issued by the authority, “while loss of pressure does not automatically mean that disease-causing organisms are present in the water, it does mean that there is an increased risk of the presence of these organisms. These organisms can make you sick and are a particular concern for people with weakened immune systems.”
For more information about the water main break and the boil water advisory, call LSA Administrator Gar Davidson at 610-317-3212 (during regular business hours). For after-hours water-related issues, call the Northampton County 911 Center’s non-emergency number: 610-759-2200.
General guidelines on ways to lessen the risk of infection by microbes in water are available from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 1-800-426-4791, and the local Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection at 610-861-2070. Links to both agencies can be found at the authority’s website.
A map of the sections of Lower Saucon Township affected by a boil water advisory issued on Feb. 3, 2015.
