A water boil advisory has been issued by the Tamaqua Area Water Authority for a portion of the Middle Ward section of the community following a water main break on Pine Street, Route 309, after 2 p.m. Thursday.

The advisory was put in effect 9 p.m. upon completion of repairs to a cracked cast-iron pipe, a seven-hour procedure which involved rerouting of traffic until late at night.Nearby residents were without water for much of the day and crews were preparing to restore water service at 9 p.m. Thursday.The boil advisory impacts residents of the 500 and 600 blocks of Pine Street and the 500 block of North Railroad Street.According to borough workers, the Rolling Mill Avenue section, which falls between Pine and North Railroad, isn't subject to the advisory.The advisory says, "A loss of positive pressure may create conditions that could allow contamination to enter the distribution system. As a result, there is an increased chance that water may contain disease-causing organisms."Do not drink the water without boiling it first. Bring all water to a rolling boil, let it boil for one minute and let it cool before using, or use bottled water. You should use boiled or bottled water for drinking, making ice, washing dishes, brushing teeth, and food preparation until further notice."The notice states that bacteria, viruses and parasites can cause symptoms such as nausea, cramps, diarrhea and associated headaches."After the section of pipe has been replaced and normal service has been restored, the system will be flushed and water samples will be taken. The water samples will be taken to an independent lab to be tested for bacteria," the notice states.It is unclear how long the boil advisory will remain in effect. The borough will inform residents when the advisory is lifted.Work crews from Tamaqua Borough and the Tamaqua Area Water Authority were notified of the suspected failure in the system and immediately launched plans for repairs.Shortly before 4 p.m. utility trucks were arriving to mark safe excavation points.Some residents in the area reported low water pressure while others went without water for several hours while repairs were under way.At the 500 block of Pine Street, water could be seen bubbling up from lengthy cracks in the macadam of what is a narrow, one-lane section of the roadway running parallel to the Little Schuylkill River.Parking was prohibited in the affected area.Volunteers of Tamaqua Fire Police rerouted all northbound traffic, directing the flow from Pine Street onto Elm Street and then north on Schuylkill Avenue where it reconnected with Route 309.However after several hours, additional manpower was summoned from Hometown Fire Police.Hot food was donated to workers from Burger King and McDonald's, coordinated by Andy Leibenguth and delivered by members of Tamaqua Volunteers.For more information about the boil advisory, call Tamaqua Area Water Authority 570-668-0300 or the Still Creek Water Treatment Plant, 570-668-6319.