120K customers asked to conserve water after cold snap impacts Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County system

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — The Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County is asking its customers to reduce their water usage, saying a cold snap caused leaks and increased demand as customers tried to keep their pipes from freezing.

The authority wants customers to reduce water usage at homes and businesses until the system can stabilize. Conservation is necessary for the Indiana Creek, McKeesport and Sweeney systems. A map on the authority's website shows where conservation is needed. 

As the Pittsburgh area experienced some of the coldest air in a decade, the authority says there was an increase in demand because people were running water to keep lines from freezing.

According to the MAWC's website, they have approximately 2,400 miles of water lines. It can take time for crews to check those lines and work on ones cracked or broken because of the cold. 

"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 leak," said Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County resident manager Michael F. Kukura in a press release.

The authority is also requesting usage reductions for customers in consecutive systems in Monroeville, Plum, Parks, Gilpin, Duquesne, Pleasant Valley, Belle Vernon and Pennsylvania American in Connellsville and Uniontown.

"We are just coming out of this cold spell, and we are in this period of high demand now," Kukura said. "We've been chasing leaks and struggling to keep water in the systems. So, we are just asking everybody to pay attention to what they are using out there, and every drop helps." 

Kukura says that since we are now above subzero temperatures, there is no reason for old homes to run the water constantly so pipes don't freeze.

There is also some positive news.

Currently, there is enough water in the system for the over 120,000 customers the organization has across a five-county region. Kukura says that thanks to all the snow, local reservoirs will likely get a big boost in water levels come spring.

If you live in Westmoreland County or an area serviced by the MAWC and have a water issue, the Municipal Authority wants to hear from you. Their number is 724-755-5800.