MECHANICSBURG, Pa. — Note: The video is from October 19.
Update, Oct. 27: According to an email sent out to Pennsylvania American Water customers, the conservation notice has been lifted.
The measure was lifted on Oct. 27 at 4 p.m.
According to the email, American Water restored operations at the Silver Spring Water Treatment Plant following acceptable test results and DEP approval.
The drinking water is reportedly safe and normal water use can be resumed.
Previously: Pennsylvania American Water on Monday issued a reminder to customers in its Mechanicsburg-area water system that the mandatory water conservation measures it instituted last week is still in place.
Customers are asked to reduce their water usage by 10-15% until further notice, the company said in a press release.
The measures were adopted last Tuesday after a leak from an underground tank was found to be affecting the Conodoguinet Creek in Silver Spring Township.
Roughly 42,000 customers in parts of Silver Spring Township, Hampden Township, Lower Allen Township, Lemoyne Borough, Wormleysburg Borough, East Pennsboro Township, New Cumberland Borough, Fairview Township, Shiremanstown Borough, Camp Hill Borough and Newberry Township are affected, the water company said.
"The water is safe to use and drink as normal, but we are asking customers to continue reducing water usage by 10-15% until further notice," Pennsylvania American Water said. "We are working with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection to determine when our Silver Spring Water Treatment Plant can resume normal operations.
"Preliminary results from sampling of the Conodoguinet Creek are encouraging and indicate that the creek is returning to normal water quality conditions. When we have confirmed that conditions have improved, and the plant can be restarted, customers will be notified that the mandatory conservation notice is lifted.
"In the meantime, we will continue providing updates, as needed, through the notification system and on the Alerts page of our website at www.amwater.com/paaw/alerts."
Last Tuesday, residents near the Conodoguinet Creek reported noticing a strange odor and a sheen on the creek's waters. The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection responded and discovered that a 10,000-gallon underground tank located at the Cumberland Perry Area Career and Technical Center was the source of the issue.
Efforts to address the issue are ongoing, the DEP said.