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Conservation request remains after Dallastown-Yoe Water Authority finds leak

DALLASTOWN, YORK COUNTY, Pa. — A couple of water main leaks had fire trucks sounding the alarm in one York County community this week. Officials hoped to ...

DALLASTOWN, YORK COUNTY, Pa. -- A couple of water main leaks had fire trucks sounding the alarm in one York County community this week.

Officials hoped to get residents attention to cut back on how much water they use.

Crews found one of the underground leaks this morning, but the conservation request for people in Dallastown is still in effect.

It's been a difficult week for the Dallastown-Yoe Water Authority to keep its water tanks full,  after changing temps caused an underground water main to spring a few leaks.

Dallastown borough maintenance supervisor Joe Joines said "the weather changing between the warm weather and the extreme cold, the ground changes temperature with that and it shifts. and as it shifts, the water lines, being old cast iron or ductile iron, will end up breaking."

The leak cost the water authority to lose about 200,000 gallons of water per day, that's equal to 3.2 million cups of water lost every day since Monday.

"You see your numbers gradually getting up, depending, you don't know how long it's been broke, a few hours, you see your numbers climbing a little bit. Then as Tuesday came, the numbers are higher, and Wednesday is higher. We've been looking all week, and just having trouble finding it," Joines said.

That changed Thursday morning. Blue lines on the ground trace the path of underground water lines. Following the lines along with patience and a good ear, led crews to the source of one of the leaks.

"The water is line a phone line for noise, and the sound will carry through that water line, so as you go out, you listen to fire hydrants, valve boxes, curb stops in front of people's homes. You just listen for the sound of rushing water," Joines said.

It's why officials ask residents to cut back on how much water they may use.

"I'm thinking two leaks, that's putting us in pretty bad shape, we're managing, everyone has water, we're still asking for voluntary restrictions," Joines said.

While the Dallastown-Yoe Water Authority gets its water from Red Lion, the source of the problem is for Dallastown.

"It doesn't cost them as much to make as it does for us to buy it, so when we have leaks line this it cost us quite a bit of money," Joines said.

Officials still need to replace the water that was lost, so until the water tanks are filled to capacity again, the request to cut back on water will continue.

The Water Authority asks residents to only use water for essential uses such as drinking, cooking and bathing, as well as reduce shower time and laundry use.

Officials said Dallastown-Yoe water is still safe to drink. There are no disease-causing organisms that require mandatory water boiling.

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