West NY News

The Chautauqua County Health Department has issued a water conservation order for all customers in the Town of Portland and Village of Brocton. A boil water order has been issued for customers on Webster, Ellicott, and Dahlberg Roads; all water used for drinking and cooking by these customers should be boiled first or customers should use bottled water.

Water pressure in several areas of Brocton and Portland is low due to a water main break that occurred Monday afternoon. The break has been isolated and is under repair, but some customers may still be without water while the repair is in progress. Water District staff have located the source of the break and are in the process of fixing the problem.

All water customers on Webster, Ellicott, and Dahlberg Roads must boil their water until further notice. Water for drinking, cooking, making ice, brushing teeth, and making coffee must be brought to a rolling boil for one minute then cooled prior to use. Customers are advised not to drink the water without boiling it first or use bottled water.

When water mains lose pressure for an extended period of time it increases the chance that untreated water and harmful microbes could enter the system. Boiling the water kills bacteria and other microbes that could be present. After the break has been fixed, Water District staff will flush the system and collect water samples to ensure safety. Water customers will be informed when tests confirm that no harmful bacteria are present in the system and they no longer need to boil their water.

Boiled or bottled water must be used to wash dishes by hand; dishes should be allowed to completely air dry after washing. Home dishwashers that reach a temperature of 170⁰F and have a full dry cycle do not need boiled or bottled water. The water may be used for bathing as long as it is not consumed. The water is safe for laundry.

The Chautauqua County Health Department is requiring all Village of Brocton and Town of Portland customers to limit their water usage to reduce strain on storage tanks until further notice. Customers are asked to reduce their usage by 50%. Suggested actions include:

- Avoid using any outdoor water such as washing cars or watering lawns.

- Limit washing clothes during this period or use a commercially available laundromat.

- Use paper plates and disposable silverware to reduce dishwashing.

- Only run automatic dishwashers when completely full.

- Use less bathwater and take shorter showers.

- Do not let tap run unnecessarily while brushing teeth or shaving.

For more information, contact:

Village of Brocton at (716) 792-4160

Town of Portland at (716) 792-9614

Chautauqua County Health Department at (716) 753-4481

Updates can also be found on www.HealthyCHQ.com.

About Chautauqua County Health Department: The department is dedicated to supporting community health through innovative approaches providing technical assistance to partner organizations while offering various programs aimed at disease prevention, public health protection, community wellness promotion.