MAWC calls for reduction of use as winter freeze, thaw impact supply

The authority provides water to customers in Westmoreland, Allegheny, Armstrong, Fayette and Indiana counties.

Nearly 122,000 Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County customers have been urged to conserve water as work crews identify leaks and service line breaks that resulted from last week’s cold snap.

Officials said the frigid winter temperatures and this weekend’s thaw stressed the water system’s infrastructure and supply. Water line breaks along with customer efforts to prevent freezing pipes by running water in their homes and businesses has led to lower levels at local tanks and in reservoirs..

“We are asking everyone to reduce their water use so we can get the system back to normal. We’ve been struggling the last week to keep the tanks full,” said authority manager Michael Kukura.

The conservation call impacts nearly all of the authority’s water customers. The authority provides water to customers in Westmoreland, Allegheny, Armstrong, Fayette and Indiana counties. It also sells water to customers who are served by systems in Monroeville, Plum, Parks, Gilpin, Duquesne, Pleasant Valley, Belle Vernon, and Pennsylvania American in Connellsville and Uniontown.

Customers in Ligonier are not impacted in the conservation notice.

The authority posted an interactive map on its website showing the areas of the conservation request.

“We’re looking and listening for leaks, but while we are working on this, we need our customers to help out by conserving and reporting any leaks known or suspected leaks,” Kukura said.

Officials said the conservation request is voluntary and suggested it is likely temporary to allow work crews to fully inspect and repair the delivery system.

Crews have worked around the clock in recent days to keep up with the growing number water line leaks and breaks, Kukura said.

The water authority has seen a nearly 44% increase in leaks over the last two weeks compared to the same time period a year ago. Kukura said that since Jan. 12, crews have been called out to make 184 repairs.

In late 2023, the amid unseasonably dry conditions throughout the previous summer and fall months the authority issued a mandatory conservation order as water levels at the Beaver Run Reservoir in Bell, which services the northern half of the customer base, fell to historically low levels.

The reservoir is currently above the level that would trigger both voluntary or mandatory conservation efforts, but is below previous averages. Officials said they are hopeful the snow that fell over the last several weeks will eventually melt and refill the reservoir, but the recent run of cold weather further stressed the system.

Temperatures reached the mid-30s on Monday.

“It’s a beautiful day and everyone wants to go out and wash their car. I’ll ask you not to go wash your car today,” Kukura said.