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Pittsburgh / ˈpɪts bɜrg / Water and Sewer Authority (PWSA) issued a warning to the city about the possibility of contaminated water in the area.
The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) discovered low chlorine levels in the water at the city’s Highland Park Reservoir #1 last February. As a result, PWSA released an advisory to warn the public that the water could be infected by giardia / dʒiˈ r di ə /, a microscopic parasite that multiplies in water with low chlorine levels.
A person can contract giardiasis /ˌdʒi ɑrˈdaɪ ə sɪs /, a type of diarrhea caused by drinking water where the parasites may thrive, such as untreated water from lakes, streams, wells, and rivers. Giardiasis can also become contagious if there is contact with an infected individual or animal.
The symptoms usually appear one to three weeks after infection and may last from two to six weeks. These include diarrhea, dehydration, nausea, and stomach cramps.
In their advisory, PWSA officials instructed the public to boil tap water before drinking it. The PWSA also cut off Highland Park Reservoir #1 from the city’s water supply. In addition, they increased chlorine levels to prevent bacterial contamination and set up temporary water distribution sites throughout the city. Some public schools also took action by covering up water fountains, providing hand sanitizer to students, and suspending classes for the duration of the advisory.
Forty-two hours after it was first raised, the DEP lifted the advisory after several tests showed no signs of contamination.