Pennsylvania American Water says that the water main that broke twice in 10 days is in the pipeline to be replaced.
"The water mains involved in these recent incidents are already included in our replacement planning process, and we continuously evaluate and adjust project priorities based on engineering analysis that considers many factors," utility spokesperson Alana Roberts said.
The first break occurred at the intersection of North Washington Avenue and Mulberry Street, near Scranton’s City Hall, on July 17. Along with the downtown residents and businesses, both City Hall and the Lackawanna County Government Center were without water and shut down. The second break happened Monday on Washington Avenue between the Lackawanna County Courthouse and the federal courthouse. Concrete buckled as a river of water covered the street. Again, people and places were without water.
Pennsylvania American Water (PAW) crews responded to both breaks immediately. They also distributed more than 100,000 bottles of water and parked three large water tankers downtown to provide customers with access to drinking water while service was being restored.
A boil advisory for downtown residents is still in place from Monday’s break.
Prioritize the main
On Tuesday, Scranton Mayor Paige Cognetti, city council, other city representatives and business representatives held a press conference to discuss the breaks. They called on the water company to prioritize replacing the 156-year-old 24-inch cast iron water main.
“We want to make sure though that it's clear we do need to understand when the full replacement of these water mains from 1885 will be done,” Cognetti said Tuesday.
Roberts said the utility shares the same goals as the Scranton representatives.
"The recent breaks will be part of that evaluation as we determine the most effective approach to improving reliability in this area," she said.
Age is just one factor in determining what gets replaced, she said.
The water company operates approximately 300 miles of water main in Scranton, Roberts said. About 49 miles — or 16% — were installed before 1900. Scranton is not the only city across the country with more than a century-old water infrastructure, Roberts noted.
PAW replaces around 5 to 10 miles of water main annually in Scranton, she said. That investment costs the utility between $8 million and $10 million each year.
“The replacement pipe being installed today is expected to serve customers for 60 to 100 years or more,” she said, adding the replacement rate in Scranton exceeds both the national average and the industry-recommended rate.
“We know words alone do not lessen the inconvenience customers experienced over the past two weeks, and our focus remains on earning that trust through continued investment and reliable service to the community,” Roberts said.
City launches online form
During Tuesday’s press conference, Cognetti said the city would provide an online form for impacted residents and businesses to share the impact of water service interruptions.
The forms will collect data that the city will use to help the Pennsylvania Department of Community & Economic Development, city leaders and others understand the scope of losses and other damages.
The forms are online now at: https://scrantonpa.gov/public-response-to-downtown-scranton-water-main-breaks
