Major water main break closes schools and county offices

WEST PITTSTON — Thousands of residents across the Wyoming Valley are without water or facing low pressure following a major water main break caused by a contractor on Tuesday evening. Pennsylvania American Water crews were dispatched to Wyoming Avenue in West Pittston around 6:30 p.m. after a third party digging in the area struck a large line. The resulting outages have spread through West Pittston, Exeter, Wyoming, West Wyoming, Swoyersville, Forty Fort, Luzerne Borough, and Kingston, with some impacts reaching into Lackawanna County. Due to the lack of service, Luzerne County Manager Romilda Crocamo closed the county courthouse, the Brominski Building, and several other government offices for Wednesday. Numerous school districts, including Wyoming Area and Wyoming Valley West, have also canceled classes or moved to virtual learning. Repairs are expected to take approximately 17 hours, and local officials have advised residents in the affected zones to avoid drinking the water until further notice.