CHEEKTOWAGA, N.Y. - Erie County has issued a Boil Water Advisory for parts of the county following a large loss of water pressure in the northern part of the county on Wednesday night that affected thousands
The Boil Water Advisory has extended to restaurants and local hospitals have also taken steps to ensure the safety of water for patients and staff.
Residents in the Towns of Amherst, Clarence, Lancaster, Newstead and the Villages of Williamsville, Lancaster and Depew are all asked to boil drinking water for one minute or use bottle water.
Genesee County residents in Towns of Pembroke and Darien, along with the Village of Corfu, are being advised to boil their water, a spillover affect of a major water main break in Erie County. The Monroe County Water Authority (MCWA) buys its water for Western Genesee County from the Erie County Water Authority.
Late Thursday afternoon, northern Cheektowaga residents were also issued a Boil Water Advisory.
Thousands of Erie County Water Authority customers either had low water pressure or no water at all beginning just before 9 p.m. Wednesday. When water mains lose pressure, harmful microbes and untreated water could enter the system.
Around 4:30 p.m. Thursday, Sisters of Charity Hospital sent out an update saying it will continue to move all elective surgeries to Sisters Hospital Main Street Campus until further notice. All other services within the hospital, including the Emergency Department, would continue operating as usual.
Also Thursday afternoon, Millard Fillmore Suburban Hospital in Williamsville issued a "Boil Water" notice for the next 24 - 48 hours. The hospital will continue to operate; however it said in a notice to physicians, employees and volunteers it would be taking action at many levels within the hospital.
Thursday evening the entire hospital will be restocked with drinking and bathing water, normal saline and sterile water for irrigation, and hand sanitizer. Supplies will be restocked again Friday and Saturday. Bottled water will continue to be provided for patients, visitors and staff for drinking and medication consumption. Gallon jugs of water will be used to bathe patients on nursing units as well as for the Polar Care on the orthopedic unit. The new procedures will extend to operating rooms and to all surgeries at the hospital as well.
In addition, sterile saline will be used for patient dressing changes and ice machines in the hospital should not be used, according to the release.
The Erie County Water Authority is currently testing water quality to determine when the boil water advisory can be lifted, but results could take 2-3 days.
Water pressure was restored late Wednesday night, but the cause of the leak is still under investigation.