Officials extend boil water advisory issued for Yardley-area residents

YARDLEY, Pa. (WTXF) - A boil water advisory issued in for Yardley-area residents has been extended until at least Sunday due to high turbidity levels. The advisory was originally issued Thursday afternoon.

All Pennsbury School District schools and offices were closed on Friday as a result of the advisory.

Pennsylvania American Water says water samples taken on November 29 had turbidity levels of 1.7 ntu, which is above the regulatory standard because of these high levels of turbidity there is an increased chance that the water might contain disease-causing organisms.

This warning applies to all Pennsylvania American Water customers in the Yardley-area, which includes Lower Makefield; Yardley Borough and portions of Falls Township.

Officials are urging residents not to drink the water without boiling it first. 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.

Turbidity has no health effects; however, turbidity can interfere with disinfection and provide a medium for microbial growth. Turbidity may indicate the presence of disease-causing organisms. These organisms include bacteria, viruses, and parasites, which can cause symptoms such nausea, cramps, diarrhea, and associated headaches. People with severely compromised immune systems, infants, and some elderly may be at increased risk. These people should seek advice about drinking water from their health care providers.

The symptoms above are not caused only by organisms in drinking water. If you experience any of these symptoms and they persist, you may want to seek medical advice.

Pennsylvania American Water is currently investigating the cause of the issue and will initiate corrective actions after the investigation is complete. They will notify their customers when the corrective actions has been completed. Pennsylvania American Water is collecting and analyzing additional water quality samples, including bacteria samples.

Pennsylvania American Water will be providing alternate water sources. Water tankers will be stationed starting at 7 p.m. at the following locations and customers are asked to supply their own containers:

For more information, please visit www.pennsylvaniaamwater.com and select Alerts Notification, or contact Pennsylvania American Water's customer service center at 800-565-7292.