Westmoreland Manor water system being tested after complaint filed with state

Residents and staff at Westmoreland Manor have relied on bottled and boiled water since Friday as officials conduct tests to determine if the county nursing home’s water system was compromised.

A complaint forwarded by the state’s Department of Health resulted in required testing of the Hempfield facility’s water distribution network, county solicitor Melissa Guiddy said Monday. Results could be back Tuesday, she said.

“There is no concern about employee’s or resident’s health,” Guiddy said.

Until test results are analyzed, no tap water at the Manor is permitted to be used for drinking, food preparation, showering and cleaning, she said.

Neither the state Health Department nor Westmoreland Manor executive director Angela Knauf could be reached for comment.

Guiddy said confidentiality concerns prevented her from disclosing the reason for the testing. Similar testing was completed last summer and no issues were found, she said.