Tempers flare at meeting on community's water woes
BRADYS BEND TWP, Armstrong County — A community meeting called to air frustrations over a monthlong boil water advisory devolved to shouting Monday night.
Much of Bradys Bend Township is advised to boil tap water before consumption due to a Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection order issued last month against Bradys Bend Township Water and Sewer Authority. The DEP found problems both in the authority's filtration system and in a water reservoir used to store treated water before it flows to customers. The latter is in physically poor condition, according to the DEP.
Both problems were found in a routine check of the facility.
Ed Schmitt, an engineer with Gibson-Thomas Engineering who does work for the authority, spoke at the meeting for a time before a back and forth exchange developed between him and a group of angry residents who organized the meeting.
Several among the group suggested that Schmitt leave. He did, and a group of other men rose and left with him. Among them were Wade Ion, the authority's general manager.
Before leaving, Schmitt gave his own take on the water problems.
He attributed the filtration problems to heavy rain this summer, saying “the plant is not built for what it got.”
As for the reservoir, he said it's been a known issue the board has been working to address, but that it shouldn't impact water quality because of regular chlorine treatment of the water. Small amounts of chlorine are routinely used in water treatment on a widespread basis.
“It's an old issue,” Schmitt said. “They've been trying to find the funds.”
Schmitt claimed the real reason behind the recent issues is a change in oversight. This latest inspection was handled by the DEP's Meadville branch, he said, rather than Pittsburgh, as had been done in the past.
“Pittsburgh people didn't put you on a boil water advisory. Meadville did,” Schmitt said.
These statements weren't received happily by many present at the meeting, which took place in a crowded room at the township's office.
Shelly Rea, one resident, grew visibly angry. She sat among other community organizers at a table directing the meeting.
“We have been lied to,” Rea declared.
She wasn't alone: two women rose to talk about their husbands getting sick, and both said they think the water might be to blame. Several present questioned the budget of the authority and resolved to look into its financial records.
Henry Crawford, a supervisor on the township's board, criticized the meeting's organizers.
“I can't believe you asked the one person who was being professional in this to leave,” Crawford said.
After the group of men, including Schmitt, walked out, another water official began speaking. Nicholas Kerr, general manager of the Petroleum Valley Regional Water Authority, picked up where Schmitt left off.
The two clear options by which the township may regain regular drinking water, both Schmitt and Kerr explained, are to make expensive improvements to the existing water system or to get water from another authority.
The clearest other authority to get it from is Kerr's Petroleum Valley authority, but Kerr warned of that route. They're having their own disputes with their water source: East Brady's water authority.
Kerr urged finding a collaboration that could pay to fix Bradys Bend's water system.
“I'm not trying to put my agenda in this, but it's expensive the work that needs to get done,” Kerr said.
For now, the DEP has authorized an emergency connection to Petroleum Valley's system, and both sides of the connection report they are working on opening up access to that water for Bradys Bend Township residents.
