"Water authority may extend lines"

By Theresa Hegel, Intelligencer, September 27, 2010:

East Rockhill: A group of homes with shallow wells along West Schwenkmill Road may get the chance to connect to public water.

The Perkasie Borough Authority is considering extending its lines to bring public water to residents with shallow, failing wells on West Schwenkmill Road in East Rockhill.


Several residents along the road were forced to drill deeper wells during the hot, dry summer, but others have been crossing their fingers and conserving water. Many questioned whether nearby wells operated by the water authority were drawing down the water supply along West Schwenkmill.

Gary Winton, manager of PBA, said it was likely a combination of the dry weather and the shallowness of the wells, many of which were less than 90 feet deep. Still, the water authority has been monitoring the groundwater.

Preliminary data from the PBA's hydrogeologist seems to confirm that the water authority did not cause the Schwenkmill residents' hardships, Winton said.

But the hydrogeologist has a few more weeks of monitoring before the data is complete, he added.

To help affected residents, the water authority may extend its water line 700 feet from Deibler Elementary toward Three Mile Run Road.

Winton estimated the project would cost about $70,000 and would likely be split between the potential users on the road. With about 10 households that could be tied into the water, the price tag may be $7,000 per family.

The water authority generally allows new customers to put 20 percent down and pay the balance of the costs over the next four years, Winton said.

Residents would also have to pay a plumber to extend the line from the road to their house, which could add another $3,000 to their overall costs.

There are a few obstacles to cross before the water authority will commit to the line extension.

"We have to ask the $64,000 question: How many people are interested?" Winton said. "That pretty much determines whether or not we go ahead."

At least one resident of West Schwenkmill plans to take advantage of the water authority's offer, though he still has doubts about why his well is failing. . . .

Though he said he is still suspicious of the timing of the well dry-ups, he is pleased with the water authority's response to the situation. . . .

He and many of his neighbors attended a recent East Rockhill meeting where the water authority presented its tentative plan. . . . Several residents on Schwenkmill are considering the water authority's offer, though the poor economy makes the decision that much more difficult. . . .