The Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County’s Indian Creek Water Filtration Plant recently completed the third phase of the Partnership for Safe Water Program, a voluntary effort to provide safe drinking water.

Presently, the water system provides drinking water service to approximately 181,919 people. The Indian Creek water filtration plant is one of only a handful of water plants to complete this phase of the partnership in Pennsylvania.

The Partnership for Safe Water is made up of the Department of Environmental Protection, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Pennsylvania Section American Water Works Association and other drinking water organizations. Its goal is to implement preventative measures that are based on optimizing treatment plant performance.

Phase III entails a detailed, peer-reviewed report that summarizes the rigorous self-assessment portion of the program. This phase is specifically geared toward identifying weaknesses in plant operation, design and administration that could lead to a breakthrough of waterborne disease-causing organisms into the finished water that is distributed to consumers.

Correcting these weaknesses helps prevent waterborne disease outbreaks from pathogenic organisms like Cryptosporidium and Giardia. By completing this phase of the program, the Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County is working to provide an additional measure of protection to drinking water consumers.

Currently, 105 surface water treatment plants serving more than 5.8 million people are now involved in Pennsylvania's Partnership program.

For more information, visit the Partnership for Safe Water webpage or contact Kevin Anderson at 717-772-4018, or send email to: keanderson@state.pa.us.

12/5/2008