Dripping faucet
With very few lead pipes, there is very little chance of a drinking water contamination crisis similar to the one in Flint, Michigan impacting customers of the Newtown Artesian Water Company.
The public utility that handles close to 2.2 million gallons of water per day has very few lead pipes and treats its system with zinc phosphate to protect pipes from corrosion and leaching, Newtown Artesian Water Company Assistant General Manager Daniel Angove told the Newtown Borough Council Tuesday.
The problem in Flint was caused when the local water authority began using Flint River water that was untreated. The untreated river water led to lead and other heavy metals from aging infrastructure to trickle into the water supply, causing dangerous levels for users of the system. An apparent lack of quick action by Flint and Michigan authorities exacerbated the problem. Angove categorized the issue in Flint as coming from failures on a variety of levels.
Angove said the water company that serves 38,000 customers in Newtown Borough, Newtown Township and the northern part of Middletown tests its system for lead and copper levels every three years. Testing for bacteria takes place monthly.
Roughly 60 percent of the water used in the area comes from Bucks County Water and Sewer Authority and the Pennsylvania American Water Company, which draws about 75 percent of its water from the Delaware River. The other 40 percent comes from five wells locally operated by the Newtown Artesian Water Company.
According to the Newtown Artesian Water Company 2014 drinking water quality report, there were no contaminate violations reported by the utility. The lead levels were 0.52 parts per billion, which was well below the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention maximum allowed amount.
Angove said the Newtown Artesian Water Company is working with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection to create a source water protection plan to make sure drinking water for the area is kept safe.
The Newtown Artesian Water Company currently employs 10 people.
