Derry Municipal Authority customers under boil water notice

All Derry Borough Municipal Authority customers are being asked to boil their water before drinking it until further notice as a precaution after a water main break was reported Sunday night.

Authority manager Amy Forsha said the 8:30 p.m. break at the intersection of East Second Avenue and South Chestnut Street has been repaired.

“We had to replace 40 feet of our main transmission line,” she said.

The break caused residents to lose water pressure or service completely. There are 2,500 customers in the borough and Derry Township who are being advised to boil their water before consuming it or use bottled water, Forsha said.

The Centers for Disease Control said boiling water for one minute will kill any harmful bacteria, parasites or viruses from drinking water. Those organisms can cause illness.

Untreated tap water should not be consumed when bathing, according to the CDC. Doing laundry is safe. Pets should not drink water that hasn’t been boiled, but it is safe for gardening. Boiled or bottled water should be used when water will be consumed in some manner, such as making ice, food preparation, washing dishes and brushing teeth.

Forsha stressed that the notice is precautionary and required by the state Department of Environmental Protection after a loss of water pressure that could allow contaminants to enter the system.

The authority repaired a break on Friday and crews were working on a third Monday, Forsha said. Two consecutive tests must show the water system is free of contaminants before the notice can be lifted. The authority will notify customers when they can resume using the water as normal.