Tidioute has been under a boil-water advisory since March.

TIDIOUTE — Residents served by the Southwest Warren County Municipal Authority remain under a boil water advisory as officials continue working to stabilize the public water system following months of pressure loss, filtration problems and storm-related turbidity spikes.

The advisory, which has affected the borough of roughly 626 residents since March 18, was reissued May 15 after water quality concerns persisted within the system. Officials now say the community could remain under restrictions until at least July 1, depending on weather conditions and the completion of ongoing repairs and maintenance.

According to the latest update from SWCMA engineers, crews have made progress in stabilizing portions of the system following a major waterline repair completed May 6. The Contact Tank has stabilized, the Town Tank has refilled, and filter flows are operating between 115 and 118 gallons per day. They also reported that turbidity readings at the plant’s IFE (Individual Filter Effluent) and CFE (Combined Filter Effluent) filters have remained below 2.0 Nephelometric Turbidity Unit (NTU), the measurement for clarity or cloudiness of a fluid, for at least five consecutive days.

However, the boil notice remains in effect while additional work continues throughout the distribution system.

One suspected leak has already been identified and scheduled for repair, while crews are also preparing excavation work and possible “resand/rebuild” maintenance on multiple filtration beds. Repaired turbidimeters are also expected to be installed as part of the next phase of improvements.

At the center of the ongoing advisory are concerns over both water pressure and filtration performance. Officials say recent storm events caused raw water turbidity levels to surge above 50 NTU, pushing combined filter effluent readings above 4.00 NTU, which is more than double the state standard of 2.00.

Turbidity refers to the cloudiness of water and can interfere with proper disinfection. According to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, elevated turbidity increases the possibility that harmful microorganisms could remain in the water supply.

The authority also reported that low storage tank levels contributed to a loss of positive water pressure within the system earlier this spring. Public health officials warn that pressure loss can create conditions where contaminants enter water lines through backflow or back-siphonage.

Residents are being instructed to boil all tap water for at least one minute before using it for drinking, brushing teeth, making ice, washing dishes or food preparation. Bottled water may also be used. Officials emphasized that infants, elderly residents, pregnant women and immunocompromised individuals may face a greater risk of illness if exposed to contaminated water.

SWCMA officials said chlorine levels have been increased while water flow through the filtration system has been reduced to improve treatment effectiveness during the emergency response.

Before the advisory can be lifted, the authority must complete repairs, flush the entire system, monitor disinfectant levels and collect microbial samples throughout the distribution network. Once testing confirms the water is safe, residents will be notified through public notices, phone alerts or direct distribution methods.

Officials continue urging residents to follow all boil water precautions until further notice.

Additional information is available through Tidioute.org or by contacting SWCMA at 814-484-7424.