Patrons and staff at the Harford County Public Library's Fallston branch could not get drinking water from the tap for several days last month during and after the building's well pump was repaired; however, the water is currently safe to drink, according to library system officials.
Signs were posted around the building warning people not to drink tap water for several days after Harford County facilities staff and the contractor for the well repaired the pump on June 7, according to HCPL Director Mary Hastler.
"Since the repair, the water and well are operating as usual," Hastler wrote in an email Monday.
Bottled water was available for drinking – bottled water has been offered to patrons and staff for at least 17 years, as the building does not have a water fountain, according to Hastler.
It took about eight hours to complete the repair, and the warnings were in effect for a few days as the sediment stirred up during the repair settled and the water was treated, Hastler said. The water came out orange during that time.
Warnings were still posted as of late last month, but Hastler said branch staff forgot to remove the signs.
The 13,500 square-foot branch opened in 1985, according to the library system website. It is off Route 152, just north of the intersection with Smith Lane.
The branch had 99,464 walk-in customers during fiscal 2016, or an average of 8,200 a month, according to Hastler.