State
water proposal draws few responses
By Christina Kristofic, Intelligencer, March 2, 2009
Most of the seven people who commented to the DEP favor
public lines, an official says.
Only seven people commented on the state Department of Environmental
Protection's proposal to install public water lines in Furlong, and most of them favor it, according to a DEP spokeswoman.
Comments on the proposal were due to the DEP by Feb. 20.
Spokeswoman Lynda Rebarchak said she couldn't release copies of the comments at this time because DEP officials are still
using them to make a decision about public water installation. Rebarchak said she wasn't sure when the agency would issue
its decision.
"They liked what we were proposing, and also were indicating
that they'd like the work to begin as soon as possible," Rebarchak said, summarizing the comments the DEP received.
In 1979, groundwater in Furlong, near the intersection of
York and Swamp roads in Buckingham and Doylestown townships, was found
to be contaminated with trichloroethylene and perchloroethylene.
TCE can cause a variety of nervous system problems, liver
and lung damage, abnormal heartbeat and possibly death, according to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry.
TCE is also believed to cause cancer.
PCE can cause dizziness, headaches, sleepiness, confusion,
nausea, difficulty in speaking and walking, and possibly death, according to the agency. Extremely high concentrations of
PCE can also cause menstrual problems and spontaneous abortions. It also might cause cancer.
The DEP has cited two now-closed factories, Furlong Manufacturing
and Vandor Manufacturing, as the sources of the contamination. Both used degreasing agents that contained TCE and PCE.
DEP officials estimate 38 homes are drawing water from wells
contaminated with TCE and PCE. The DEP has installed and maintained whole-house carbon filtration systems for many of those
homes, and paid for bottled water for other homes.
The DEP wants to install a public water line that would
serve the affected homes and others whose wells might be contaminated. They estimate the project would cost $890,000. The
DEP would pay for it. Homeowners would only be responsible for their water bills.
The DEP held a hearing on the proposal in January. Turkey Lane resident James Bingler said then that he supported the proposal, but he also wanted
the DEP to decontaminate the groundwater.
Doylestown Township
submitted a resolution to the DEP supporting the proposal.
Rebarchak said some of the people who commented "specifically
indicated that they didn't want the water line to benefit any additional development in the area."
A synagogue is being planned for the intersection of Route
263 and Rodgers Road. And a small shopping center is being planned for the intersection
of routes 263 and 313.
Rebarchak said a couple of people also said they want the
DEP to continue testing the groundwater - even if the agency installs a public water line - to keep an eye on the contaminated
area.
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