Power surge may have caused water shortage in Salem

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SALEM — A power surge in the control system of Salem’s water treatment plant may be to blame for the recent water shortage, a city official said.

A failed component in the plant’s computer-run control system was blamed for shutting down normal water service in the city from Wednesday morning until late Thursday afternoon.

Bill Selland, the city’s water and sewer superintendent, said in an interview Friday that a power surge likely caused the part to fail.

Whatever the cause, Selland said service is now back to normal, and the water tower was completely refilled by about 11 p.m. Thursday. No water lines were damaged by the incident, he added.

The watering of lawns and gardens is still prohibited in the city until Saturday night to allow time for the system to recover.

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