County Protects Important Watershed and Reservoirs in Northeastern Pennsylvania

"County’s steps to protect drinking water are touted

Urban calls land buys near reservoirs from ’03-’06 even more important in Shale era.

MATT HUGHES mhughes@timesleader.com - Author

Though threats to Luzerne County’s drinking water from natural gas drilling have drawn the concern and ire of some residents, a county commissioner said the county has already taken steps to protect the drinking water of more than 70,000 county residents.
Times Leader Photo StoreBetween 2003 and 2006, Luzerne County used $4.2 million of a $5 million bond to purchase several thousand acres of property near the Crystal Lake and Ceasetown reservoirs.
County Commissioner Stephen A. Urban, the only sitting commissioner elected then, said the county purchased the property to protect the county’s natural resources.

“With the gas drilling and everything else going on, I think this is one thing we don’t have to be concerned about,” Urban said.

About 40,000 acres of land around the reservoirs was transferred in 1996 to Theta Land Corp. following the sale of Pennsylvania Gas and Water’s water division to Pennsylvania American Water Co. Theta was later sold to a private buyer, whom a Dauphin County grand jury in 2008 revealed to be Louis DeNaples, of Dunmore.
In 2003 the county bought 2,600 acres surrounding Crystal Lake and in 2008 transferred ownership of the land to the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. The county also purchased about 1,000 acres around the Ceasetown Reservoir and Pike’s Creek, which – combined with land owned by the water company and state forest land – form a sizeable buffer around two of the county’s primary water supplies.

Urban said the development of the Marcellus Shale was not on the county’s radar at the time it purchased the land, but that the influx of gas drillers has made the need to protect municipal drinking water all the more urgent.

He said state and federal regulations protecting water supplies lack teeth because they do not provide for buffers around reservoirs and the creeks and streams feeding into them.

“Our legislators have been asleep, the Democrats and the Republicans,” Urban said. “They haven’t focused on protecting the land around reservoirs. … They seem to act only when a crisis develops. There’s no forward thinking. I think the county was forward thinking in this purchase.”

Though Theta maintained wind rights and the timber rights through 2028, mineral and gas rights were never severed, meaning the land remains off limits to drillers without the county’s approval.

The same is not true of one of the county’s other major reservoirs, the Huntsville Reservoir, Lehman Township, where several private, waterfront properties have been leased for natural gas drilling by EnCana Natural Gas.

Urban said he doesn’t know why the land around Huntsville Reservoir had been developed, but said he supports the county purchasing more land around the reservoir to create a buffer should the land ever go up for sale.

Pennsylvania American Water’s Ceasetown plant provides water for about 67,500 county residents in 16 municipalities, including the cities of Wilkes-Barre and Nanticoke.

The Crystal Lake plant provides water to 14,000 in Mountain Top and Rice, Fairview and Wright townships."
The above is not my work, the following are my comments:

1. We need to develop detailed watershed management and land developing plan - this would include detailed sourcewater protection plans for all reservoirs and major aquifers.

2. We need to put out signs and train individuals driving truck that contain hazardous chemicals, like gasoline, oil, fuels, etc about the proper response to a leak in these areas.  If possible, we should divert vehicles containing large quantities of potentially dangers chemicals to roadways that would less likely impact the reservoir directly.

3. We should limit land development by purchasing all rights including wind, development, gas, etc.  This land should be put in the hands of the people.   A portion of the funding to protect these lands should come from the Water Company that uses the water to serve residents in the vicinity of the reservoir and outside the watershed.

4. We should establish a real-time and citizen based watershed monitoirng effort and train citizens in the proper disposal of hazardous waste and pharmalogical waste.

5. We should limit the use of road salt and deicing agents in areas that are highly vulnerable to impact.

6. If necessary, we should install detention basins upgradient of the reservoir in cases where there is an activity that may have a direct impact on the reservoir.

7. There may be a need to change the practices of individuals and businesses that currently exist in areas within the watershed that are vulnerable to contamination.

Baseline Testing Natural Gas Development for Tobys Creek, Sweet Valley, and Lehman Area Luzerne County Pennsylvania

Baseline Testing Independent water testing Natural Gas Development for Harveys Lake Region Luzerne County Pennsylvania


Baseline Testing Natural Gas Development for Harveys Lake Region Luzerne County Pennsylvania

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Press Release– Sep 20, 2010 – The professional geologists at B.F. Environmental Consultants Inc. is working with the local environmental groups and citizens to offer affordable baseline testing to the residents of Sweet Valley and the Lehman Area, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania. The professional geologist at B.F. Environmental Consultants Inc. provided specific recommendations on baseline water quality testing that was specific to the background geology, land-use, and regional water quality for the local watersheds.

For more information on this specific outreach or developing other community baseline water quality monitoring programs, please visit

http://www.bfenvironmental.com/natural-gas-exploration.php
 
B.F. Environmental Consultants Inc also promotes the use of alternative and renewable energy, water conservation, water reuse and more.  Please visit our online store.
http://www.bfenvironmental.com/supplies.php

Protect Your Groundwater Day - September 14, 2010

"Everyone can and should do something to protect groundwater. Why? We all have a stake in maintaining its quality and quantity.
For starters, 95 percent of all available freshwater comes from aquifers underground. Being a good steward of groundwater just makes sense.

Not only that, most surface water bodies are connected to groundwater so how you impact groundwater matters.

Furthermore, many public water systems draw all or part of their supply from groundwater, so protecting the resource protects the public water supply and impacts treatment costs.

If you own a well to provide water for your family, farm, or business, groundwater protection is doubly important. As a well owner, you are the manager of your own water system. Protecting groundwater will help reduce risks to your water supply.



Groundwater protection
There are two fundamental categories of groundwater protection:
1. Keeping it safe from contamination
2. Using it wisely by not wasting it.
Before examining what you can do to protect groundwater, however, you should know that sometimes the quality and safety of groundwater is affected by substances that occur naturally in the environment.
Naturally occurring contamination
The chemistry of the groundwater flowing into a well reflects what’s in the environment. If the natural quality of groundwater to be used for human consumption presents a health risk, water treatment will be necessary.
Examples of naturally occurring substances that can present health risk are:
Microorganisms (i.e., bacteria, viruses, and parasites; these tend to be more common in shallow groundwater) - in oue AREA this would include most undeveloped springs, poorly constructed wells, and hand dug wells

Radionuclides (i.e., radium, radon, and uranium) - not a major problem in our area - but radon in air /water may be high

Heavy metals (i.e., arsenic, cadmium, chromium, lead, and selenium).-  arsenic, iron, manganese are more common problems for our area.

Public water systems are required to treat drinking water to federal quality standards. However, it is up to private well owners to make sure their water is safe.

Contamination caused by human activities

Human activities can pollute groundwater, and this is where every person can help protect groundwater — both in terms of groundwater quality and quantity.
Some common human causes of groundwater contamination are:
Improper storage or disposal of hazardous substances
Improper use of fertilizers, animal manures, herbicides, insecticides, and pesticides
Chemical spills
Improperly built and/or maintained septic systems
Improperly abandoned wells (these include water wells, groundwater monitoring wells, and wells used in cleaning contaminated groundwater)
Poorly sited or constructed water wells.

An emerging concern in recent years is the occurrence of pharmaceuticals and personal care products in water. Much research remains to be done to assess the health risks of trace amounts of these items. Nevertheless, disposal strategies for these substances are increasingly being advocated.  Do not pour prescription drugs down the drain.  Check out http://www.smarxtdisposal.net/


Water conservation

Americans are the largest water users, per capita, in the world. In terms of groundwater, Americans use 79.6 billion gallons per day — the equivalent of 2,923 12-oz. cans for every man, woman, and child in the nation.
Agricultural irrigation is far and away the largest user of groundwater in America at 53.5 billion gallons a day followed by public use via public water systems or private household wells at a combined total of 18.3 billion gallons per day. More efficient use of water in either of these areas could save a huge amount.  In our area, the largest users of water are nuclear plants.
At the household level, the greatest amount of water used inside the home occurs in the bathroom. The remainder of indoor water use is divided between clothes washing and kitchen use, including dish washing, according to the U.S. EPA. Calculate your water footprint - http://www.waterfootprint.org/


Depending on where in the country you live, outdoor water use can vary widely.

If you want to get an ever better idea how much water you use, find out your “water footprint” by calculating the amount of water it takes to produce some of the food you consume.
ACT — acknowledge, consider, take action
On Protect Your Groundwater Day, NGWA urges you to ACT. Use this day to begin doing your part for protecting one of our most important natural resources — groundwater!

1. Acknowledge the causes of preventable groundwater contamination —

Everyone
There are hazardous substances common to households - Most household water use occurs in a few areas around the home.

If you own a water well
Wellheads should be a safe distance from potential contamination
Septic system malfunctions can pollute groundwater
Poorly constructed or maintained wells can facilitate contamination
Improperly abandoned wells can lead to groundwater contamination.
Get your water tested - http://www.carbon-filtration.com/


2. Consider which apply to you —Everyone
What specific hazardous substances are in and around your home?
Where do you and your family use the most water?
If you own a water well
Is your wellhead a safe distance from possible contamination?
Is your well/septic system due for an inspection?
Are there any abandoned wells on your property?
3. Take action to prevent groundwater contamination —Everyone

When it comes to hazardous household substances:
Store them properly in a secure place
Use them according to the manufacturer’s recommendations
Dispose of them safely.

When it comes to water conservation
Modify your water use (more water saving tips)
Install a water-saving device.
If you own a water well
Move possible contamination sources a safe distance from the wellhead
Get current on your septic system inspection and cleaning
Get your annual water well system inspection
Properly decommission any abandoned wells using a professional.
For more information on Protect Your Groundwater Day, contact NGWA Public Awareness Director Cliff Treyens at 800 551.7379, (614 898.7791), ext. 554, or ctreyens@ngwa.org."

To learn more - go to
Carbon County Groundwater Guardians
http://www.carbonwaters.org/

National Groundwater Association
http://www.ngwa.org/public/pygd.aspx

Get Your Water Tested
http://www.carbon-filtration.com/

Conserve Water- Community Online Mall - Living Green
www.webdesignpros.net/shopping/living-green.htm

Article was not written by me - the source - http://www.ngwa.org/public/pygd.aspx  - it was reposted with more detail about local concerns and organizations.