Whitehall mayor outlines cause of water system failure

WHITEHALL, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Whitehall leaders provided more details on Friday about what caused the village's water system to fail. The mayor said problems with the water system have persisted for months.

Whitehall Mayor Francis Putorti said the system failed after a water main break on Sunday. That break uncovered the location of a water leak that crews had been trying to locate for months.

Officials said the break drained the water supply. The combination of dry weather conditions, leaks and the village's daily water usage meant the water pressure was no longer sufficient to pump water from Pine Lake to the village.

Running water was restored on Thursday. System users should take short showers and only run dishwashers and washing machines when full. A boil water order remains in effect until further notice.

The mayor said they are working to upgrade the village's infrastructure, but they cannot pay for it by themselves. The village has received money from the state and federal government and will continue to seek additional funding in the future.