SCRANTON, LACKAWANNA CO. (WOLF) — The boil water advisory issued after a second downtown Scranton water main break has been lifted, while city officials are asking residents and businesses to report the financial and personal impact of the recent disruptions.
Pennsylvania American Water announced Wednesday that testing confirmed the water is safe to drink after the advisory was issued July 27 following a loss of water pressure caused by a water main break.
The utility said water samples collected on July 28 and July 29 met all required standards, and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection authorized lifting the advisory.
Meanwhile, the City of Scranton has launched online forms for residents and businesses affected by the two downtown water main breaks to document property damage, business losses and other impacts.
Mayor Paige Cognetti said the information will help city leaders better understand the scope of the disruptions and explore potential relief efforts.
“This has been a difficult time for our downtown residents and businesses,” Cognetti said in a statement. “The city will do all it can to provide relief where possible and to press Pennsylvania American Water for permanent replacement of their 19th century infrastructure downtown.”
City officials are also encouraging affected customers to file claims through their Pennsylvania American Water accounts for personal and property damage.
The city said the information collected through the online forms will be shared with the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development and other officials to help quantify the impact of the back-to-back water main failures.
During a news conference Tuesday, Cognetti was joined by members of Scranton City Council, downtown business owners, first responders and city engineers to discuss the widespread disruptions caused by the two water main breaks within the past two weeks.
The forms can be found HERE.