BRADYS BEND TWP, Armstrong County — Frustrations over a monthlong boil water advisory could boil over at a community meeting Monday night.

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection put Bradys Bend Township, a community of about 770 residents along the Allegheny River, on a boil water advisory June 18, according to DEP Spokesman Tom Decker.

The reason was two-fold. First, Bradys Bend Township Water and Sewer Authority, a separate entity from the township government, “is experiencing a breakdown in treatment, potentially allowing microbial pathogens to pass through and on to customers,” Decker said.

Secondly, the storage water reservoir, which holds filtered water for use by the public, was found to be dilapidated. Decker said the DEP's check on the facility found breaches in the structure and evidence of animal feces.

Both problems were found during a regular check the DEP performs every three years, in addition to the usual reports such water authorities must provide. The DEP requires authorities to perform regular tests on water samples for a slew of chemicals and send them the results.

While much of the township is affected, not every resident with public water is under the advisory. The water authority operates two zones. The affected one pulls water from a limestone mine, according to DEP records.

The other zone, which is generally in the area known as Seybertown, is not under the advisory. To serve that area, Bradys Bend's authority buys water from the Petroleum Valley Regional Water Authority and resells it. Additionally, the water Petroleum Valley provides is purchased from a third water authority in East Brady.

Petroleum Valley's water is especially important to Bradys Bend right now, as it's the likely means to end the boil advisory. The DEP issued an emergency permit on July 11, allowing the two companies to further connect their systems and get water back to the rest of Bradys Bend.

Nicholas Kerr, general manager of Petroleum Valley's authority, said they're working on it, but that pressure differentials in the systems won't let them provide any water yet.

No water on tap

Meanwhile, many Bradys Bend residents have been without drinkable tap water for a month, and the problem remains without a clear end in sight.

That fact, and the handling of the situation itself, has irritated some in the community.

Jennifer Herr, a Bradys Bend resident, said she has been organizing community members who are angry with the water company. She has been active on Facebook and is organizing both discussion meetings and free bottled water giveaways.

Herr said the water authority's leaders inaccurately downplayed the water problems to residents.

“When residents question them on the reservoir, they say stuff like, 'Back in the '70s, we used to swim in it,'” Herr said.

Wade Zion, who manages Bradys Bend's water authority, did not return a call for comment. Matt Racunas, the company's attorney, was similarly unable to be reached.

Mike Stitt, a member of the water authority's board, directed questions on the problems to Racunas and the DEP.

Stitt offered one bit of information, which he said he would provide as a resident and not as a board member. His home's water supply was tested last week, he said, and results came back showing clean water. He provided the results to the Eagle and said he planned to share them with neighbors. His address is within the affected area.

Herr said residents were told initially that bad readings were simply the result of heavy rainfall before the DEP inspection. She provided a letter from the authority that warns of turbidity and blames “too much rain” for the problem. However, the letter makes no mention of the potential reservoir problems.

Decker said the DEP hasn't made any kind of determination on what caused the problems, but is instead focused on seeing them resolved. However, he said turbidity in the water might be more of a sign the filtration system is not operating properly, rather than evidence of the problem being caused by rain.

Water boil warning time frame questioned

Herr and others also questioned the roll-out of the boil water warning itself.

She said much of the population didn't hear about it until two days after the warning began. Public notifications are required to be released within 24 hours.

Decker confirmed that the DEP had to reach back out to the authority to urge further advertising. On day one, he said, the company relied on online notifications, such as email and Facebook, to get the message out. The DEP reached back out to call for phone and door-to-door notices, he said.

“As far as we know, they have done so,” Decker said.

Sheila Markel, township secretary, confirmed that the authority reached out to the township to have the warning posted on their channels. Markel also posted the warning on a sign by the township office.

“Residents are frustrated that some people did not know about the advisory, and they're concerned for their health,” Markel said. “Boiling water gets a little bit old too.”

Shelly Rea, another resident, articulated those frustrations.

“I'm paying $90 a month for water I can't drink,” Rea said. “If our water reservoir has not been kept up, where is all our money going to?”

She said when she called the authority for information, staff said that DEP standards were too high.

“We feel we've been lied to, and we're very upset,” Rea said.

Bottled water and inquiries about the need for help arrived from neighboring areas. East Brady Water System sent several cases of water, Herr said. Staff for state Rep. Donna Oberlander, R-63rd, and state Sen. Joe Pittman, R-41st, have reached out, as have Armstrong County commissioners.

Residents plan to discuss the situation at 7 p.m. Monday in the Bradys Bend Township building, 1004 Route 68.