The following is provided on behalf of Perkasie Regional Authority (PRA), East Rockhill Township's public water provider.
Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) have jurisdiction over public water systems. Questions or concerns can be directed to PRA and DEP, or Representative Staats and Senator Coleman who oversee DEP.
In light of some recent concerns and questions regarding the PFOA/PFOS contamination and levels of these chemicals in the Perkasie Regional Authority water system, I wanted to share a few facts and put to rest any concerns you may have regarding the source water at the Authority.
The Authority currently has four (4) “Entry Points” into the water system. These entry points consist of 5 municipal wells; two (2) in the Perkiomen Creek Watershed located in Perkasie Borough and three (3) in the Three Mile Run Watershed located in East Rockhill Township. Both of the wells in Perkasie Borough (Wells #10 and #11) are Entry Points into the distribution system, meaning they pump directly into the distribution system after receiving on-site treatment. In East Rockhill Township we have one well (Well #7) that is also an Entry Point. The other two (2) wells (Wells #5 and #6) are not Entry Points and pump, in tandem, to a treatment station (which is Well #4 and that IS the Entry Point for those two sources).
PA DEP and EPA require that all samples must be taken at Entry Points and not individual sources, therefore we sample at 4 Entry Points…which are Well #4 (no longer a physical well, but rather a treatment station), Well #7, Well #10 and Well #11.
The current MCL (maximum contaminant level), effective starting in January 2024, for PFOA is 14 ppt (parts per trillion) and the current MCL for PFOS is 18 ppt. Compliance (set for by PA DEP) is determined by a running annual average at each sampling point. Below is a table showing the results for each entry point and as you will see, we are compliant with the current regulations at all entry points.
In early 2024, regulations were enacted by the EPA to set a national MCL for PFOA and PFOS at 4.0 ppt. This MCL will not take effect for several years. Water systems are required to monitor the PFOA and PFOS levels in their systems and implement treatment measures to have their systems in compliance with this level by 2029. For more information on the EPA regulations and implementation timeframe, please see the following link: https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2024-04/pfas-npdwr-presentation_4.9.24_overview.pdf
In preparation for these new lower levels, we are currently working on a grant submission to PENNVEST to help offset some of the costs for a treatment plant at Well #4. The Authority has already received all of the required permits and approvals for the building and the granular activated carbon treatment. We anticipate submitting the grant proposal by October 2024 for the PENNVEST Board Meeting in January 2025. If all goes well and we receive the grant funds, we will have the project out to bid and start construction in early Spring 2025 with substantial completion by the end of summer 2025.
In addition to the treatment plant at Well #4, the Authority has been working on developing a new source (Well #14, located near the Bucks County Community College in East Rockhill Township). This well will have the ability to produce in excess of 650 gpm (gallons per minute) and will be equipped with both arsenic and PFOA/PFOS treatment to remove those contaminants in order to meet the future 4.0 MCL regulations.
