Officials provide update on Whitehall state of emergency
WHITEHALL, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- The village of Whitehall released an update on the state of emergency and boil water advisory where it said that water has returned to the village, but it is still in a water deficit. The state of emergency, boil water advisory, and water conservation restrictions remain in place.
Here are the guidelines for conserving water:
- Limit shower and water appliance use
- Limit the length of showers and avoid filling bathtubs full
- Only run dishwashers and washing machines with full loads to limit daily use
- Hydronic heaters can be used
- Take steps to winterize your pipes if they're prone to freezing as continuous running water is not allowed
- Businesses can open but the conservation efforts still apply to them as well
The village also emphasized that tap water is not safe to consume at this time and should be boiled for at least one minute and cooled before use. Bottled and non-potable water is available at the Whitehall Firehouse until 8 p.m. while the boil water advisory is in effect.
Anyone who may need delivery service for water can call the Whitehall Village Office from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at (518) 499-0871. Those who notice water leaks or other abnormalities are encouraged to call the same number.
Whitehall Central School District's Superintendent of Schools Patrick Dee provided an update on how the district is handling schooling with the village's current state of emergency. The district canceled classes on Monday, had remote classes on Tuesday and Wednesday, and is now back open on Thursday.
The district has delivered 300 gallons of potable water to each school's kitchen for cooking and cleaning. Each kitchen will use disposable products in service lines to avoid dishwasher use.
The school water fountains have been bagged and turned off and there are plenty of five-gallon water bottles available for the water coolers for students and faculty. Low flow flush heads were also installed as a part of the district's last building project so this will ensure minimal water usage.