SOURCE WATER PROTECTION IN BERKS COUNTY

Environmental Advisory Council Network, A Project of the PA Environmental Council http://www.eacnetwork.org

SOURCE WATER PROTECTION IN BERKS COUNTY

Environmental Advisory Council Network, A Project of the PA Environmental Council

http://www.eacnetwork.org



Overview of Source Water Protection in Berks County

• Major sources of contamination included (PA DEP source water assessments Year ??):– Abandoned Mine Drainage– Agricultural Practices– Urban/Suburban Storm Water Runoff– Sewage Overflows– Transportation Accidents

• Protection priorities included:– Land areas within a 5 hour time of travel to an intake– Sub-watersheds along the Schuylkill River and across

the northwestern portion of the county



Potential Sources of Pollution

Fires & Accidents

Wastewater Discharge Construction

AgricultureRunoff

Dam Sediments

Tire Piles

Sewer Overflows

WildlifeAlgaeRoad Salt





Berks County Water Intakesin the Schuylkill Watershed

• 8 drinking water utilities have surface water treatment plants– Auburn Borough Municipal Authority (2)– Birdsboro Municipal Authority (4)– Boyertown Municipal Authority (3)– Hamburg Borough (1)– Hamburg Center (3)– Reading Area Water Authority (2)– Wernersville State (2)– Western Berks Water Authority (1)



Map of Schuylkill River with intakes





Municipal Roles in Source Water Protection

• Human activity impacts water quality– Development,

farming, roadway and domestic sewerage and other activities can all have negative effects on stream quality





Population Changes in the Berks County Region Changes in Population 1990 - 2000



Changes in Developed Lands 1990 - 2000

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Berks County





Schuylkill River Landuse & Stream Impairments

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Berks County Land Cover 2000




Source Water Protection in the Tulpehocken Creek Region

• Home to over 62,000 people• 66% agriculture, 8% developed, 24% forested• 219 square miles • Blue Marsh Lake is a major

recreational resource for swimming, boating, fishing, hiking and biking

• Western Berks Water Authority Intake, Wernersville Intake



Impaired Streams Map




Priority Runoff Protection Areas Tulpehocken and Wernersville Intakes:

• Bern, Penn, Bernville, Jefferson, North Heidelberg, Lower Heidelberg, South Heidelberg, Heidelberg and Marion Townships

• Source Water Protection Resources– The Tulpehocken Creek

Conservation Plan – Source Water Assessments for

Western Berks and Wernersville




Source Water Protection Zones for Western Berks and Wernersville Intakes




Priority Protection Areas for the Schuylkill Watershed




Source Water Protectionin the Maiden Creek Region

• Home to over 37,000 people• 58% agriculture, 4% developed, 34% forested• 216 square miles• Lake Ontelaunee is a major

recreational resource for fishing, hiking and biking

• Lake Ontelaunee and Maiden Creek supply Reading Area Water Authorities drinking water




Priority Runoff Protection Areas for Reading Area Water Authorities Intakes

• Richmond, Greenwich, Perry, Windsor, Albany, Maiden Creek and Ontelaunee Townships

• Source Water Protection Activities– RAWA developing a Source Water Protection Plan– Kutztown developing a Wellhead Protection Plan– Schuylkill Action Network implementing

streambank restoration projects in the watershed.




Priority Protection Areas for the Schuylkill Watersheds




Source Water Protection in theMonocacy and Manatawny Region

• Home to over 33,000 people• 53% agriculture, 5% developed, 41% forested• 117 square miles• Ironstone Creek,

Popodickon Reservoir and Trout Run Reservoir supply drinking water to the Boyertown Water Authority




Priority Runoff Protection Areas for Reading Area Water Authorities Intakes

Earl, Colebrookdale and lower Pike Townships and the Borough of Boyertown




Source Water ProtectionZones for Boyertown




Priority Protection Areasfor the Schuylkill Watershed




Source Water Protection in the Hay and Allegheny Region

• Home to 9700 people• 28% agriculture, 4% developed, 67% forested• 4 square miles – • Birdsboro Reservoirs




Water Intakes and Impaired Streams in the Hay and Allegheny Watershed Region




Priority Runoff Protection Areas – Birdsboro Municipal Authority

• Hay Creek Watershed – Robeson, Union and New Morgan Townships

• Birdsboro Municipal Authority is developing a Source Water Protection Plan, will want to work with Municipal Officials




Source Water Protection Zones, Birdsboro and Pottstown Intakes




Priority Protection Areas for Schuylkill Watershed



Practicing Source Water Protection …

• Immediate Intake Areas (less than ½ mile upstream from intake) – preserve open land/buffers





Practicing Source Water Protection … (Cont.)

• High Priority Areas (less than 5 hour travel time and within ¼ mile of streambank)– preserve buffers, connect buffers, reclaim buffers– enhanced storm water Best Management Practices

• redevelopment should include BMPs• public properties have “gold standard” BMPs

– stricter controls for runoff (ordinances) (no buffer bypassing)

– limit development to low impact activities, redirect to areas further from the drinking water intake

– no floodplain development (FEMA buyouts)



Practicing Source Water Protection …

• Moderate Priority Areas (between 5 and 25 hours of travel time) – Continue to preserve buffers whenever possible– General development preferred, with buffer

restrictions

• Connection of High Priority Areas from one intake to another





Practicing Source Water Protection … (Cont.)

• Other Items To Consider– Synergy with regional “trails”– Sewer system capacity and sewer overflows– Coordination with Storm Water Requirements– “Green Infrastructure”– Costs of fixing impaired streams (100’s of $$$

millions)



What’s In Your Water Supply?



Credits

This (workshop, brochure, video, etc.) has been funded (or partially funded) by

the League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania Citizen Education Fund through a Section 319 Federal Clean

Water Act grant from the US Environmental Protection Agency

administered by Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.


End Of Presentation

SOURCE WATER PROTECTION IN BERKS COUNTY

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