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Hundreds Of Residents, Freedom Area Schools Under Boil Water Warning

NEW SEWICKLEY TOWNSHIP (KDKA) -- People in parts of Beaver County are being told to boil their water before using it due to E. coli contamination.

The alert from the Department of Environmental Protection affects homes and schools in that area.

Nicole Hickey, a busy mom, is just one of the nearly 200 customers in the eastern part of New Sewickley Township who received the drinking water warning on Tuesday.

E. coli bacteria was found in the water supply.

The Freedom Area School District is also under the warning.

"We provided anti-bacterial soap and anti-bacterial hand sanitizer to all of our students and started bringing in bottled water," Superintendent Dr. Jeffrey Fuller said.

Dr. Fuller says their action plan for the schools is working, including not serving food prepared with water and placing signs in restrooms reminding students that the water is for handwashing purposes only.

Students are able to wash their hands using the water from the faucet. However, they must use anti-bacterial soap.

New Sewickley Township has even placed a water buffalo at the Pine Run Fire Department for residents to use.

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Bill Doyle fills his containers multiple times a day.

"I'll be going back up this afternoon to get some more," he said.

The township added chlorine to the water supply and flushed the system. They must have two days of tests showing no bacteria before the warning can be removed.

Until then, it's more trips to the buffalo and more bottled water.

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