About 8,700 Columbia Water Company customers are told not to drink or use the water for 3-5 days.
The General Manager for the water company says that someone broke into one of the water storage tanks overnight, and they don't want you using or drinking the water, until it has been tested.
Right now, the water is still not safe to drink.
The Columbia Mayor recently contacted the County Emergency Management to try to get more water trucks out to Columbia and into neighboring communities, like Mountville and Manor Township, because these people could also be without water up through Sunday.
Columbia Water Company's General Manager says, early Thursday morning, workers discovered that someone broke into one of the water storage tanks overnight.
They quickly alerted the media and the public by phone.
David Lewis, Columbia Water Company General Manager says a lock was broken off of one of the tanks. "We have an area where we have several tanks located. We were in there the evening before doing some work, and when they returned in the morning, mid morning, it appeared the tank next to the one we're doing the work in, that someone had tried to get into the ladder. And so the more we looked at it we realized they broke the lock on the ladder and they scaled the tank."
The General Manager contacted the Department of Environmental Protection right away. They will be testing the water to make sure it wasn't contaminated.
But Columbia's mayor says it may take 3 to 5 days to get the results.
Columbia Mayor, Leo Lutz says there is no reason to panic. "People need to remember though that this is a precautionary measure not to panic, but to follow the directions they were given and not drink the water until they are notified that everything is safe."
Officials say if you do get sick, go to the hospital right away and report it.
Police are still investigating to find out who broke into that water storage facility, which is in a remote location in the middle of the woods, off Old Chickies Hill Road.
