A 24-inch water main line that feeds into the main part of the Bradford water system broke at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford on Campus Drive this afternoon, spurring a systemwide boil water alert effective immediately.

Bradford City Water Authority executive director Kim Benjamin told The Era that whenever there is a disruption of pressure at this magnitude, a boil water advisory is necessary.

Benjamin said water authority crews are currently assessing the situation and trying to quickly isolate the break.

“Because of the line size, when it broke it caused fairly wide spread disruption, particularly in some of the higher elevation area,” he stated.

More information will be released as it becomes available.

Benjamin said members of the public can get more details at www.bradfordwater.com or by calling the water authority at 814-362-3004.

Classes at Pitt-Bradford are canceled for this evening, but are expected to resume Tuesday.