West Philly’s boil-water advisory is over, officials say
If a second round of testing also shows no contamination, the department will likely lift the boil advisory today.
West Philadelphia residents no longer have to boil their water before using it, after testing of the water found no evidence of harmful bacteria, officials said Tuesday.
On Sunday afternoon, a pumping station serving a section of upper West Philadelphia failed, causing a loss of pressure in the system that left some customers without water.
Water pressure was restored, but the hour of low pressure could have created a vacuum, raising concern about whether bacteria and other disease-causing organisms were pulled into the water pipes. The city told residents in several West Philadelphia zip codes to boil water before drinking, making ice, brushing teeth, washing dishes, or preparing food.
Residents can now return to using their water normally, the department said. “Customers can feel confident their water is safe to use,” Philadelphia Water Department Commissioner Randy E. Hayman said in a statement.
About 18,000 people were affected by the water-boil advisory. This includes customers who lost water or had low pressure in:
Wynnefield Heights, Wynnefield, Overbrook Farms, Green Hill Farms, Overbrook, Overbrook Park, and Morris Park.
Parts of Carroll Park, Haddington, West Parkside, and West Fairmount Park.
The following zip codes: 19151 and parts of 19131 and 19139.
After two rounds of testing in the area found no water contamination, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection allowed the city to lift the boil advisory, the city Water Department said in a news release.
Water officials in Philadelphia are still investigating the cause of the pump failure that led to the advisory. In a news release, the department said that a “major goal” of its Water Revitalization Plan, intended to improve the city’s water infrastructure over the next 25 years, will create more backup water supplies around the city.
In 2025, the department said, it will install a second pumping station in the West Philadelphia neighborhoods affected by the boil advisory, which will act as a backup water supply and reduce the risk of future advisories.
Staff writer Rob Tornoe contributed to this article.