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TIDIOUTE -- Questions about testing, public communication and long-term improvements to Tidioute's water treatment system remain as residents continue to deal with a boil water advisory that has been in effect since March.
Paul Borger, who attended the Oct. 13 Tidioute Borough Council meeting, is seeking clarification about recent Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) testing at the Southwest Warren County Municipal Authority's (SWCMA) water treatment plant and what steps officials are taking to restore a safe, reliable water supply.
In a message to borough council and SWCMA members, Borger said he understood that DEP was scheduled to conduct testing at the treatment plant this week. He later learned that the work was part of a Filter Plant Performance Assessment, or FPPA, a process he understood to be required every three years for operating water filtration systems in Pennsylvania.
Borger questioned whether the assessment would directly determine when the boil water advisory could be lifted. He said he was told that the assessment results typically take several weeks to be completed and provided to water system operators, while testing specifically related to lifting the advisory would continue separately.
He also requested information about how the results of the assessment and any subsequent actions would be shared with residents and the media.
Borger said communication has been a significant shortcoming throughout the ongoing water problem and called for a detailed, realistic timeline outlining the cause of the advisory, the steps needed to resolve it and plans to ensure the system remains reliable over the long term.
"We all await hopefully successful results," Borger wrote, emphasizing the need for both a short-term resolution and a long-term strategy for a safe and stable water supply.
The boil water advisory was originally issued March 18 after testing identified excessive turbidity in the system's combined filter effluent. Turbidity measures the cloudiness of water and is regulated because elevated levels can interfere with effective disinfection.
According to a previous SWCMA notice, a sample collected April 15 recorded turbidity above 4.0 nephelometric turbidity units (NTU), exceeding Pennsylvania's stated limit of 2.0 NTU.
Although turbidity itself is not necessarily a direct health risk, elevated levels can reduce the effectiveness of disinfection and increase the possibility that disease-causing microorganisms remain in the water.
SWCMA has attributed additional strain on the treatment process to storms that pushed raw water turbidity above 50 NTU. Operators have responded by increasing chlorine levels, reducing the amount of water passing through filters and addressing leaks in the distribution system.
The authority has also been working on treatment plant maintenance and filter cleaning. Previous updates identified leaks on a recirculating line near the bridge, Buckingham Street and Scott Street Extension.
SWCMA previously projected that filtration problems could be resolved by Nov. 1, although officials cautioned that the timeline could change depending on raw water quality, leak repairs and completion of plant maintenance.
The advisory remains in effect until testing demonstrates that the system consistently meets state drinking water requirements. Residents have been advised to boil water for at least one minute before drinking it or using it for cooking, making ice, brushing teeth or washing dishes, or to use bottled water.
Meanwhile, Warren County is exploring whether funding could be available to help Tidioute address its water system problems.
County grant writer Joshua Cotton said the county had been contacted by the borough's engineer about potential funding sources that could contribute to a solution.
Cotton said county officials and borough representatives had discussed the possibility of using Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds, but those discussions had not progressed beyond an initial conversation.
He said the county remains open to considering funding options once additional information is available.
The borough's engineers are expected to provide estimates and other documentation needed for county officials to evaluate potential funding opportunities.