Pennsylvania American Water Provides System Update to Local Officials on Behalf of East Dunkard Water Authority
30-day report and roundtable discussion highlight system improvements since utility was court-appointed as receiver/operator of system
PITTSBURGH, Pa. (March 13, 2024) – Complying with the court order naming it Receiver for the East Dunkard Water Authority (EDWA), Pennsylvania American Water today announced it filed its 30-day report with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). The company also met with local elected officials and EDWA board members at the authority’s facility in Dilliner, Pa. today to recap system improvements made since the receivership began. The event also provided an update on planned work in the coming months and allowed officials to provide feedback on community questions and concerns.
“Since the court-ordered receivership, we quickly mobilized a team of professionals to analyze and make immediate water quality and system improvements for the East Dunkard Water Authority customers,” said Justin Ladner, president of Pennsylvania American Water, who gave opening remarks at the briefing. “Our company is committed to the areas we serve, and we are proud to now be assisting the communities within the Authority’s service area in Greene County.”
Pennsylvania American Water assumed operations on February 8, 2024, as a result of the Commonwealth Court directing the company to assume daily operations. That decision was made after EDWA received numerous citations from DEP during the past two years for failure to have a certified operator and for violations that led to water treatment breakdowns.
The court required the company to provide a 30-day report that included a plan to upgrade the treatment plant’s filters, install secondary containment on chemical drums, and evaluate the plant’s monitoring and control system. In this report, the company outlined several treatment improvements to better comply with public water system regulations, including replacing the plant’s filter media, aeration piping and underdrain nozzles. The report also included an evaluation of the plant’s SCADA system, which is a combination of software and hardware components allowing operators to control and monitor the treatment plant’s equipment and processes with real-time data.
The company is pleased to announce that secondary containment has been installed and filter upgrades began this week, with work expected to be completed by May 2024. The company made immediate repairs and adjustments to the water treatment plant’s process control system and is planning to replace outdated water quality analyzers to provide better data regarding plant performance. Through technical expertise and guidance, the Pennsylvania American Water team has optimized plant operation so that it now runs continuously 24/7 instead of shutting down multiple times per day.
In addition to the items listed in the report, the company also shared with local leaders that it has fixed 10 water leaks, established a flushing program to remove discolored water from the system, repaired and/or installed five blow-offs to improve water quality, upgraded a booster station, improved road access to reach a tank site, enhanced workplace safety, implemented new customer communication channels and more.
Pennsylvania State Senator Camera Bartolotta, who represents the EDWA service area, was present for today’s briefing and roundtable discussion.
“I am very pleased with the progress and results we have seen within the past 30 days,” said Bartolotta. “Like all communities, the residents in this area deserve high-quality drinking water. I’m confident Pennsylvania American Water will provide the necessary resources to help ensure clean and reliable service.”
Pennsylvania American Water is utilizing direct mail, auto-dialer, website and social media to provide regular updates to EDWA customers on upcoming system improvements and important information about their drinking water service. The company will continue to review EDWA’s operations, which consist of 230 miles of water mains, booster stations, fire hydrants, and storage tanks.
Pennsylvania American Water, a subsidiary of American Water (NYSE: AWK), is the largest regulated water utility in the state, providing high-quality and reliable water and wastewater services to approximately 2.3 million people.
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PITTSBURGH, Pa. (March 13, 2024) – Complying with the court order naming it Receiver for the East Dunkard Water Authority (EDWA), Pennsylvania American Water today announced it filed its 30-day report with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). The company also met with local elected officials and EDWA board members at the authority’s facility in Dilliner, Pa. today to recap system improvements made since the receivership began. The event also provided an update on planned work in the coming months and allowed officials to provide feedback on community questions and concerns.
“Since the court-ordered receivership, we quickly mobilized a team of professionals to analyze and make immediate water quality and system improvements for the East Dunkard Water Authority customers,” said Justin Ladner, president of Pennsylvania American Water, who gave opening remarks at the briefing. “Our company is committed to the areas we serve, and we are proud to now be assisting the communities within the Authority’s service area in Greene County.”
Pennsylvania American Water assumed operations on February 8, 2024, as a result of the Commonwealth Court directing the company to assume daily operations. That decision was made after EDWA received numerous citations from DEP during the past two years for failure to have a certified operator and for violations that led to water treatment breakdowns.
The court required the company to provide a 30-day report that included a plan to upgrade the treatment plant’s filters, install secondary containment on chemical drums, and evaluate the plant’s monitoring and control system. In this report, the company outlined several treatment improvements to better comply with public water system regulations, including replacing the plant’s filter media, aeration piping and underdrain nozzles. The report also included an evaluation of the plant’s SCADA system, which is a combination of software and hardware components allowing operators to control and monitor the treatment plant’s equipment and processes with real-time data.
The company is pleased to announce that secondary containment has been installed and filter upgrades began this week, with work expected to be completed by May 2024. The company made immediate repairs and adjustments to the water treatment plant’s process control system and is planning to replace outdated water quality analyzers to provide better data regarding plant performance. Through technical expertise and guidance, the Pennsylvania American Water team has optimized plant operation so that it now runs continuously 24/7 instead of shutting down multiple times per day.
In addition to the items listed in the report, the company also shared with local leaders that it has fixed 10 water leaks, established a flushing program to remove discolored water from the system, repaired and/or installed five blow-offs to improve water quality, upgraded a booster station, improved road access to reach a tank site, enhanced workplace safety, implemented new customer communication channels and more.
Pennsylvania State Senator Camera Bartolotta, who represents the EDWA service area, was present for today’s briefing and roundtable discussion.
“I am very pleased with the progress and results we have seen within the past 30 days,” said Bartolotta. “Like all communities, the residents in this area deserve high-quality drinking water. I’m confident Pennsylvania American Water will provide the necessary resources to help ensure clean and reliable service.”
Pennsylvania American Water is utilizing direct mail, auto-dialer, website and social media to provide regular updates to EDWA customers on upcoming system improvements and important information about their drinking water service. The company will continue to review EDWA’s operations, which consist of 230 miles of water mains, booster stations, fire hydrants, and storage tanks.
Pennsylvania American Water, a subsidiary of American Water (NYSE: AWK), is the largest regulated water utility in the state, providing high-quality and reliable water and wastewater services to approximately 2.3 million people.