BRYN MAWR, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
Aqua Pennsylvania, Inc. (Aqua) announced today that its Emlenton water
treatment plant has joined the Partnership for Safe Water—a voluntary
cooperative effort between the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the
American Water Works Association and other drinking water organizations,
representing more than 200 surface water utilities throughout the United
States.
Emlenton's participation in the partnership represents a true 180-degree
turn for the facility, which was purchased by Aqua in December 2008. At
the time, the plant had been under a Pennsylvania Department of
Environmental Protection (DEP) boil order eight months—an order that was
instituted April 29, 2008 during previous ownership of the system.
Within less than a month of its purchase, Aqua had made the repairs
necessary to have the boil order lifted.
Aqua's improvements continued and since that time has invested $2.8
million for construction of a new 288,000-gallon per day water treatment
plant; $925,000 to replace 11,400 feet of old water main; and $392,000
of improvements to the existing finished water reservoir, including the
installation of a dome roof.
These improvements led to Aqua satisfying the requirements of the DEP
consent order agreement (COA)—which it inherited when it purchased the
system—17 months before the final completion date of July 1, 2012. Other
state agencies, including the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission
(PUC), worked cooperatively with Aqua to improve Emlenton's water
quality. It was the result of an emergency order from the PUC on
November 21, 2008 under which Aqua became the certified operator for
Emlenton with full operational control of Emlenton's water supply
treatment plant and distribution system.
"We are very pleased to have our Emlenton plant be part of the
Partnership for Safe Water," said Aqua President Karl Kyriss. "Because
of all of the hard work and extensive investment we completed at this
plant, we expect to soon see this plant performing at the highest
standards established by the Partnership."
The addition of the Emlenton Water Treatment Plant to the Partnership
completes the list of Aqua's 11 surface water treatment plants that now
participate in the Partnership for Safe Water. The company completed
enrollment of its 10 plants in November 2008. Since then, its Roaring
Creek treatment plant in Shamokin achieved the Partnership's "Phase III
Directors Award of Recognition." The Directors Award is presented for
successfully completing the Self-Assessment and Peer Review phase of
program, which consists of identifying factors that limit treatment
plant performance.
Aqua America Chairman and CEO Nicholas DeBenedictis said, "I want to
personally thank Pennsylvania PUC Commissioner Jim Cawley and Department
of Environmental Protection Regional Director Kelly Birch for their
guidance and support during the construction process. I also want to
offer special thanks to Pennsylvania Senator and Chair of the Senate
Environmental Resources and Energy Committee Mary Jo White (R-Venango
County) and Pennsylvania Representative and Majority Chair of the House
Environmental Resources and Energy Committee Scott Hutchinson (R-
Venango County). Without the effort of these legislators to obtain
PENNVEST funds, the successful turnaround of the Emlenton water system
would not have been possible."
"We've invested tens of millions of dollars in our treatment facilities
and consistently strive to outperform regulatory standards," said
Kyriss. "We soon expect to see other Aqua treatment plants achieve the
Phase III award, which was received by our Roaring Creek plant, and that
they will then target Phase IV."
The Emlenton water system serves approximately 1,200 people in portions
of Emlenton Borough and Richland Township, Venango County in western
Pennsylvania. Aqua Pennsylvania serves approximately 1.4 million people
in 30 counties throughout Pennsylvania.
WTRG
Aqua Pennsylvania
Donna Alston
Director, Communications
610-645-1095
dpalston@aquaamerica.com
Source: Aqua Pennsylvania, Inc.
News Provided by Acquire Media
