The Ephrata Area Joint Authority Water Treatment Plant in Lancaster County recently completed the third phase of the Partnership for Safe Water, a voluntary effort to provide safe drinking water. 

Presently, the water plant provides drinking water service to approximately 17,937 people.  The Ephrata Area Joint Authority Water Treatment Plant is now one of the 58 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,  U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the PA 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 Ephrata Area Joint Authority Water Treatment Plant is working to provide an additional measure of protection to drinking water consumers.

Currently, 118 surface water treatment plants serving over 5.9 million people are now involved in Pennsylvania's Partnership for Safe Water program.

For more information on Pennsylvania’s program, visit DEP’s Partnership for Safe Water webpage or contact Kevin Anderson at 717-783-9764 or send email to: keanderson@pa.gov.

(Reprinted from June 12 DEP Newsletter. To sign up to get your own copy, Click Here.)

6/16/2014