An estimated 18,000 homes in Pittsburgh's northern neighborhoods, Millvale and Reserve Township will continue to be under a flush and boil water advisory until at least Thursday, Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority officials said Tuesday.
The problem stems from bird and animal droppings on the aging cover over the Lanpher Reservoir in Shaler. The advisory was announced just hours after a consulting company called the Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority "a failed organization atop a dangerous and crumbling infrastructure."
Mayor Bill Peduto said the reservoir's problem is an example of greater issues at the PWSA.
"This is a situation that we're going to face time and time again," he said during a scheduled update late Tuesday. "We have an antiquated system that in certain areas is beyond a failure point."
The 21-year-old cover was scheduled for replacement in 2018, but that will be moved up. Repairs are expected to begin next week and cost an estimated $9 million over nine months. The city's Highland 2 Reservoir can be tapped for affected residents during that time.
Affected residents can get water at ten 2,500-gallon water buffalo tanks throughout the city through Wednesday.
