Suspected tampering at water tank leads to boil water advisory in Breckinridge County

An investigation into possible tampering with a water tank led to a boil water advisory in Breckinridge County.

Hardinsburg City Clerk Dave Bollinger says a contractor arrived at the Persimmon Flat water tank to do work on an antenna and found water spraying from a hatch. After contacting the Breckinridge County Sheriff’s Office to investigate and the Kentucky Division of Water along with the Department of Homeland Security to report the incident, the Hardinsburg Municipal Water System issued a boil water advisory for all of Breckinridge County.

Bollinger said when city personnel went to inspect the scene, it appeared that somebody had gotten through the fence around the water tank and gone into a shed on the property, where they stripped copper from wiring and stole some equipment. The bolts on a hatch on the tank had been loosened, causing water to leak out, but Bollinger stressed that it did not appear water in the tank was ever accessed.

The boil water advisory was issued as a precaution. It has since been lifted in Hardinsburg and Irvington after testing results showed no contamination. The City of Cloverport remains under an advisory as of Thursday morning as testing results there are pending.

Anybody with possible information on the incident is encouraged to contact the Breckinridge County Sheriff’s Office.