Water main break in Hempfield cuts service to Westmoreland Manor, Hempfield Towers

A water main break Saturday morning disrupted service to Westmoreland County’s nursing home in Hempfield and a neighboring housing authority property.

Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County officials said a 30-inch transmission line near the railroad tracks across Route 119 in Hempfield ruptured and left some customers with little to no water service for much of the day.

Emergency crews struggled with repairs, which require installation of new valves at the location of the break, authority spokesman Matthew Junker said.

“We think we found a ‘work-around’ and hope to have them back in water soon,” Junker said.

Westmoreland Manor, the county-owned nursing home, can house up to 403 residents. Nursing home officials said water was restored shortly before 2 p.m.

It’s unclear whether the water has been restored at Hempfield Towers, a high-rise subsidized housing facility owned by the county’s housing authority with has 202 units. Officials could not be reached for comment Saturday evening.