BY CADY KUZMICH
GAZETTE REPORTER
WATERFORD & HALFMOON — Halfmoon and Waterford residents regained full water services Saturday, Jan. 23 after a water-main break in Troy Jan. 17 cut off both town’s primary water supply.
Waterford and Halfmoon officials urged residents to continue boiling their water for at least 48 to 72 hours after the water-main was repaired on Saturday in accordance with New York state Department of Health standards. The boil water advisory was lifted in both towns Monday, Jan. 25 after testing.
After the initial water main ruptured on Sunday, a secondary pipeline connected to Troy over the 126th Street Bridge between Lansingburgh and Waterford was activated. This backup line partially failed — bringing in only a third of the water it was expected to supply.
Over the course of the water emergency, 25 homes in north Waterford lost water service for at least a day.
Waterford resolved its immediate problem earlier in the week by tapping into a water line over the 126th Street Bridge and later adding supply via a 5-inch fire hose connected to the Cohoes water supply.
Mechanicville City School District, Waterford-Halfmoon Union Free School and St. Mary’s Catholic School in Waterford closed Tuesday and Wednesday but reopened Thursday after consulting with city officials.
“The water emergency last week was very difficult for all of our town residents and businesses, and I want to thank everyone for your efforts to conserve water until service with Troy had been fully restored,” said Waterford Town Supervisor John Lawler in a press release on Monday.
Lawler specifically thanked the town’s largest water consumer, Momentive Performance Materials, for their conservation efforts throughout the water emergency.
Lawler thanked the town of Cohoes for agreeing to supply Waterford with an emergency water line last week. He also thanked members of the Peck Hose and Village of Waterford Fire Departments, who “along with the members of the Waterford Rescue Squad worked many hours in difficult conditions on behalf of our community.”
He added, “As they always have, these amazing volunteers once again rose to the occasion to help their neighbors. Waterford would be a much lesser place without them.”
Reach Gazette reporter Cady Kuzmich at 269-7239 or ckuzmich@dailygazette.net.
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