CLEVELAND, Aug. 15 (UPI) -- Cleveland officials say disaster was narrowly averted Friday as the city's water supply trickled back to life.
Cleveland Mayor Jane Campbell said Cleveland Public Power restored power to 23 of its substations Friday morning, which will get power to the four water pumping stations and water flowing again through the system.
The city also has to flush 5,000 miles of pipes before water can start flowing, WEWS TV reported.
Public health officials are warning residents who lost water to boil what comes from taps for the next 24 hours.
Nineteen water trucks remain on standby, but officials are asking residents to use them as a last resort.
There is also a warning against swimming in Lake Erie due to sewage contamination.
The mayor said the sewer system has triggers that use electricty and with those off, sewage flowed into the lake.
