Water advisory continues for section of McKeesport

By JEFF STITT

jstitt@yourmvi.com

A portion of McKeesport’s Lower 10th Ward remains under a drinking water warning.

The part of the neighborhood still under a “do not use” advisory is near the site of a fire that occurred July 16.

Elevated levels of constituents from firefighting foam are still present, MAWC spokesman Matthew Junker said Monday afternoon.

Rebecca Street, where the McKeesport Auto Body caught on fire, is one of the roads still under the advisory. The area impacted stretches from the railroad (West Fifth Avenue side), across a portion of West Fifth Avenue and part way up the hill. Along with Rebecca Street, it includes Dawson Street and portions of West Sixth Avenue, Pickway Ally, Romine Avenue and Arlington Street.

Mayor Michael Cherepko’s office said about 30 households are impacted.

Today is the 11th day residents and businesses in that area have been advised not to use tap water for any purpose other than flushing toilets. The rest of the Lower 10th Ward was under the advisory from the morning of July 17 until Friday.

The morning after the fire, MAWC said emergency responders reported chemicals from firefighting foam — notably perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and glycol — may have been sucked into a fire hydrant.

In a release Monday, Junker said results last week indicated that constituents from firefighting foam did enter the water system, and that test results from samples collected Saturday indicate elevated levels of firefighting foam compounds remain in the affected area.

Junker said a further round of flushing and sample collection in the area continues. Samples are being driven to an accredited lab in Lancaster to speed test results, but those results could take days to come back.

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