TUPPERS PLAINS — While the Phase 3 mandatory water use ban in the Tuppers Plains-Chester Water District caused by a water leak has been stepped down to a Phase 2 which lessens the guidelines for water use, additional townships have been added to the areas where water use is restricted.

Donald C. Poole, general manager of the Water District, announced Friday afternoon that the expanded area includes Scipio, Bedford, and Salisbury Townships. The townships put under a Phase 3 mandate Wednesday because of the water leak in Chester that drained water tanks in Chester, Five Points, Rocksprings, Darwin and Pageville Areas, now have a Phase 2 designation

“All boil advisories have now been lifted,” Poole said.

He described the new designation as follows:

“Outdoor water use both public and private will be banned with the exception of the following: Water use for the production = food, maintenance of pets and livestock: watering by commercial nurseries at a minimum level to maintain stock (to the extent that other water sources are not available or feasible); watering by arboretums and public gardens of national, state or regional significance where necessary to preserve specimens; operation of pools used by health care facilities for patient care and rehabilitation: fire hydrants for firefighting, health protection purposes (if specifically approved by local health officials, and the Tuppers Plains-Chester Water District.) All farming operations are to stop the use of broadcast sprinklers, only drip irrigation should be used.”

He emphasized that the emergency water use ban is now in effect for Chester, Salisbury, Sutton, Letart, Lebanon, Scipio, Bedford and Salisbury Townships.

“It is very much appreciated the conservation measures many people have taken as we can see in our distribution readings that water use has slowed. The rain has helped in the south portions of our system but many areas received little rain. With one equipment failure and a very untimely major water main break in Chester, the recovery will be slow,” Poole concluded.