FOXBURG, Pa. (EYT) — The boil water advisory that has prompted the closure of schools in the A-C Valley School District remains in effect today.

According to Foxburg Water and Sewer Authority Secretary Gwen Atwood, the boil water advisory was issued after the discovery of a leak last Thursday.

A-C Valley School District canceled classes early Thursday after the boil water advisory was issued, and was forced to remain closed this week at the water problems continued.

According to Department of Environmental Protection Community Relations Coordinator Melanie Williams, once a boil-water advisory has been put in place and the problem has been corrected, the DEP requires that two consecutive days of sampling must come back clean after the system has returned to normal operation.

Williams said the sampling protocol began on Monday, however, due to water having to be trucked in Monday to top off the tank and stabilize system pressure, the system was not considered to have returned to normal operation, so the sampling from Monday was omitted.

Samples were collected for testing on Tuesday and Wednesday, and while it wasn’t specifically required, Williams said Foxburg’s Certified Operator decided to collect another sample Thursday and wait for those sample results before lifting the advisory.

Results of the testing are expected by Friday afternoon.

As local residents await the results of the water testing, A-C Valley School District employees have been working on plans to reopen the district’s classrooms on Monday, even if the boil water advisory is not lifted.

“I’ve been very cautious moving forward, but it’s time to try to get everyone back to school,” said David McDeavitt, Superintendent.

“If we’re still under a boil water advisory, we’ll open the school and only run water to the toilets and urinals,” he continued.

McDeavitt said that school staff and administrators have worked out a plan, in case the Department of Environmental Protection’s boil-water advisory has not been lifted by Monday, which includes provisions for having water provided for hand washing, as well as hand sanitizer, and crates of bottled water for staff and students. The plan also calls for the temporary creation of a modified cafeteria menu.

“It has been really difficult for everyone in the area,” explained McDeavitt, referring to the continuing water problems in Foxburg.