Niskayuna chain reaction of water main breaks

PHOTOGRAPHER: Peter R. Barber

Town of Niskayuna highway workers repair a broken water main near 1262 Fox Hollow Road in Niskayuna on Wednesday. The large pipe at the center of the picture is part of the storm drain system.

Nine water main breaks Tuesday night and Wednesday morning resulted in a boil-water order for the entire town of Niskayuna.

The first break, in a water main between Lynnwood Drive and Fox Hollow Road, occurred late Tuesday evening. Crews from Niskayuna’s Water and Sewage Department arrived shortly afterward to shut off the main. But because of problems with the valve, they were unable to completely turn off the water off, Niskayuna Supervisor Joe Landry said. Workers then attempted to shut off the line at a point farther out from the first break, but again encountered valve problems.

Increased pressure in the pipes eventually led to eight other water mains breaking around several residential areas of town.

The number of households affected by the breaks was unknown, Landry said.

By noon Wednesday, Schenectady County issued a boil-water order, alerting town residents to boil all water used for drinking and cooking for at least one minute. Joe McQueen, the county’s director of public communications, said in the alert that “the problem will be resolved within a couple of days.”

“The boil water alert is just a precautionary measure taken by the county,” Landry said. “It does not mean that the water is contaminated.”

The main break was repaired by Wednesday afternoon, along with two other smaller breaks. “Our goal is to work through the evening and night to have all of the breaks repaired by Thursday morning,” Landry said.

The boil-water order won’t be lifted until the water is tested. After the pipes are fixed, water samples must be sent to a testing facility for two rounds of tests, which can take anywhere from 36 to 48 hours, Landry said.

“We’re hoping that we can lift the ban by this weekend,” Landry said. “We’re purchasing two replacement valves now as well to fix the problem.”

One resident near the break on Pearse Road said his water seemed fine: “It’s actually running just fine and the pressure is normal.”

Another resident near the break on Pine Ridge Road offered a similar comment, saying that he hadn’t noticed a difference in water quality, pressure or color.

Nevertheless, Landry warned against drinking the water and said that if residents see discolored water, they should let the water run for a few minutes. As repairs are done and there are changes in the pressure and current direction of the water system, discoloration may appear, he said.

Landry said the breaks are not unusual. The town usually has anywhere from 40 to 60 water main breaks a year and is well equipped to handle them.

Before the water problems on Tuesday evening, the Town Board passed a resolution to advertise for bids to replace water mains on Lishakill and Pearse roads.

For the most updated information on the status of the water supply, residents can sign up for email and text alerts on the Niskayuna town website. Schenectady County is also calling all households to alert residents of the boil water alert and will inform residents as soon as the alert has been lifted.