CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Two million gallons of water rushed from a South Charleston water tank into the Kanawha River Friday afternoon after a coal company drilling in the waters struck a 20-inch river crossing line owned by West Virginia American Water.

A barge operator for Amherst Madison was replacing a pylon, an upright structure used for support or navigation, when he accidentally drilled into the river crossing line, said Laura Jordan, spokeswoman for the water company.

Amherst Madison owns a barge near the location where the rupture took place, she said.

"They tried to go off the signage that shows where the river crossing is located and they didn't call our company to come out [to help]," Jordan said, "but we were able to shut down the river crossing line so that it didn't affect a lot of the South Charleston population."

The water company issued a boil-water advisory for a few businesses along MacCorkle Avenue that will stay in effect throughout the weekend.

Jordan said the South Charleston sewage treatment plant, as well as SportMart and other businesses in the shopping plaza along the Kanawha River, lost their water supply because of the break.

Charleston Marina -- which also had a boil-water advisory issued -- still had running water Friday afternoon, Jordan said.

Firefighters from the South Charleston Fire Department installed a temporary feed from a fire hydrant to supply water to those businesses affected, she said.

"Because we did issue a boil-water advisory earlier, it will remain in effect for those customers until the main line is repaired. This is just a temporary solution so they can stay in business over the weekend," Jordan said.

Water customers in South Charleston reported a discoloration in their water because of a sudden change in pressure in the water tank, Jordan said.

The water level in one of the twin tanks dropped 20 feet "very rapidly" after the river crossing line break, Jordan said.

West Virginia American Water turned the valve off 20 minutes after officials learned of the break, Jordan said.

South Charleston residents should not be concerned; a boil-water advisory was not issued for them, Jordan said.

The repairs will be extensive, she said.

"This is not something that will be fixed today," Jordan said. "Generally anytime a river's crossing line is involved, you have to get divers out and inspect it first, and then to make the repair can be fairly lengthy."

The company has already contacted a diver to inspect the pipe that is under the river, she said.

"The coal company is going to be making the repair placing the section of that river crossing under the guidance of West Virginia American Water," Jordan said.

Jordan called the break "an unfortunate accident in their operations that we responded to quickly."

Reach Megan Workman at megan.work...@wvgazette.com or 304-348-5113.