Questions remain after boil water advisory lifted in Belle Vernon

A boil water advisory in Belle Vernon was lifted on Wednesday, but the vice president of the borough's council is raising concerns about what happened. 

According to a spokesperson with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, a contractor was pressure washing a reservoir tank, but he was using a pump and hose that were not properly disinfected, creating the potential for contamination of the finished drinking water source and prompting the boil water advisory from the Municipal Authority of Belle Vernon.  

The authority said on Wednesday that test results found no contamination. The advisory was lifted around noon on Wednesday after being issued on Sunday. 

Denise Stasko, vice president of the borough council, said she has received phone calls from concerned residents. 

"I'm shocked, especially when I started getting phone calls," she said. "They were scared."

She said she knew about the work going on.

"They put an unclean hose into this tower, purified water that people drink in this community," Stasko said. "I was scared for myself and for our residents because there are people with underlying conditions."

Cliff Gorski, president of the Municipal Authority of Belle Vernon and borough council president, was not available for an interview on Wednesday, but he directed KDKA to a comment from plant manager Gerald Jackson. 

"The contractor was given permission to enter the reservoir area to do routine maintenance work and our Board was made aware of their work, which started last week. Testing revealed there was no contamination of the water supply. Our board has called for a review of our protocols and procedures."

Now, Stasko is calling for answers.   

"Our residents need answers," she said. "How did this happen, why did it happen, who gave authority to go and clean this and do what they did, and not worry about consequences?"