(Credit: Steve Thurston, 2022)
Crews work on New Year's Day to fix a water main break on Excelsior Avenue.
12:19 p.m. Boil Water Alert lifted
We just got word from Commissioner of Public Works Jason Golub that the Boil Water Alert for the city has been lifted.
The city and health department still recommend some precautions:
From the city’s water boil page:
What should homeowners do when the boil water notice is lifted?
- Flush household pipes/faucets first: run all your cold water faucets on full for at least five minutes each. If your service connection is long or complex (like in an apartment building) consider flushing for a longer period. Your building superintendent or landlord should be able to advise you on longer flushing times.
- Automatic ice makers: dump existing ice and flush by making and discarding three batches of ice cubes. Wipe down the ice bin with a disinfectant. If your water feed line to the machine is longer than 20 feet, increase to five batches.
- Hot water heaters, water coolers, in line filters, and other appliances with direct water connections or water tanks: run enough water to completely replace at least one full volume of all lines and tanks. If your filters are near the end of their life, replace them.
- Water softeners: run through a regeneration cycle.
- Reverse Osmosis (RO) units: replace pre filters, and check owner’s manual.
- Replace other water filters, as they are disposable and may be contaminated. This applies especially to carbon filters and others that are near the end of their life.
7:50 p.m. update: Water Distribution Event Monday, January 2, 2023 at Noon
Due to the Boil Water Advisory in effect, the City of Saratoga Springs will have a water distribution event, Monday, Jan. 2, 2023 from noon until 2:00 or supply runs out (whichever is earlier). The distribution will be located in the Saratoga Springs High School parking lot, 1 Blue Streak Blvd.
Bottled water will be available. Quantities may be limited; if you have another source for safe drinking water, the City asks that you use it first.
“I am proud of our City officials and staff for coming together on this holiday to make sure we help the community navigate this unexpected event,” said Mayor Ron Kim. “We thank the Saratoga Springs School District for its assistance in making the facility available on short notice.”
5:29 update: Commissioner of Public Works Jason Golub tells FoothillsBusinessDaily.com: "Water has been restored to most residents" in Saratoga Springs but warns that people still must boil their water for at least two more days.
Earlier the Department of Public Works said: "Once the water main has been repaired, the City will await 2 consecutive days of satisfactory water sample results to have this advisory lifted by the Department of Health."
4:10 update: From earlier today, Deputy Commissioner of Public Works Joseph O'Neill said they would start digging into the pavement along Excelsior Avenue just east of East Avenue. The road surface had heaved and broken from the broken pipe underneath. O'Neill had video showing the entire intersection flooded. He said they were not sure just what the issue was. They were waiting at the time for gas company officials to confirm the locations of gas lines before they began to dig.
The pipe had burst early in the morning and had taken about two hours to get under control, O'Neill said.
The pipe under the road there a few hundred yards from the water treatment plant is old, cast iron with leaded joints, but O'Neill was unsure exactly what might have broken or burst. It might have been a 20-inch main, he said.
Once they have the pipe exposed, they can determine the amount of time a repair might take.
On hand was Bill McTygue, a Saratoga Springs Planning Board member and former Commissioner of Public Works.
"This could have been a lot worse," he said. If the ground were frozen, the time to fix it would have been much, much longer.
The break comes the morning after the New Years Eve Music festival held in downtown Saratoga Springs. The water main break is affecting the water system in the entire city including hotels and restaurants, officials said.
12 p.m. update: From the Department of Public Works
Saratoga Springs, NY - Department of Public Works Commissioner Jason Golub announces this morning as a result of the early morning large water main break in the vicinity of Excelsior Ave and East Ave, the Department of Health has issued a precautionary city wide boil water advisory that is to be put into effect immediately.
Once the water main has been repaired, the City will await 2 consecutive days of satisfactory water sample results to have this advisory lifted by the Department of Health.
“Saratoga Springs DPW is working hard to remedy this morning’s significant water main break. We will provide updates and information to all residents periodically throughout the day," Golub said.
For updates on the boil water advisory, please reference our DPW Facebook page, or call Department of Health at 518-793-3893, or Water Treatment Plant at 518-587-3550 ext 2472
11:40 a.m update: Official "Boil water alert" coming out shortly, DPW says.
From Springs DPW: DPW is addressing a large water main break in the vicinity of Excelsior and East Avenue causing water pressure issues throughout most of the city. More information will be provided as it becomes available.