Strasburg Borough residents and businesses must boil their water until further notice, thanks to a water main break in the borough Wednesday night.
The 12-inch water main was repaired by 9:30 a.m. today, according to borough manager Lisa Boyd, but the boil alert remained in effect.
Boyd said water customers began calling the borough at about 10 p.m. Wednesday reporting low water pressure or no water at all.
The public works department, with the help of Strasburg Police and Strasburg Fire Company No. 1, located a leak in a water main that runs from Shenk Avenue to the borough's reservoir, along Reservoir Road in Strasburg Township.
Some customers, who had not had any water since Wednesday night, were just starting to get service again by mid-morning today, Boyd said.
She stressed, however, that even when the water comes on, residents must still boil it until alerted otherwise. That alert might not be given until Friday morning, she said, because the borough must first complete three water tests.
"It could be another 24 hours," Boyd said.
Boyd said a notice will be issued on the borough Web site at strasburgboro.org when residents can stop boiling their water.
The most recent alert on the Web site this morning read: "Until further notice, please boil your water as a precaution and conserve water."
The break occurred in a section of the system installed in 1957. Recent borough concerns had been for an older section that dates back 110 years.
Several businesses were affected by the water issue. The Fireside Tavern at the Historic Strasburg Inn canceled a group that had reservations for lunch today. And a laundromat on North Decatur Street stayed closed this morning to conserve water for other businesses.
The Strasburg Borough Authority canceled its scheduled meeting this morning so authority members could help resolve the issue.
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