The Department of Environmental Protection will host a public hearing June 14 on the re-opening of the administrative record and revision to the statement of decision to extend a public water line to homes in Washington Township affected by groundwater contamination.

The hearing will take place from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at the Washington Township Municipal Building, 13013 Welty Road, Waynesboro, PA.

DEP is revising its initial decision to connect homes affected by groundwater contaminated by trichloroethylene (TCE) and perchloroethylene (PCE) in excess of five parts per billion.

The homes are along Welty Road between Anthony Highway and Hollengreen Drive, two homes on Lyons Road, and one on Anthony Highway.

The source of the contamination is still being determined. DEP’s priority is ensuring access to clean drinking water for the affected residents.

The initial response plan called for the homes to be connected to the Washington Township public water system. However, the actual cost estimate for the project was nearly four times the initial estimate of $350,000.

DEP’s revised plan calls for a water line extension to all but two homes, which will receive individual point of entry treatment systems. Bottled water will continue to be supplied until all remediation work has been completed.

The purpose of the hearing will be to take testimony related to this matter from the public. Concerned citizens who wish to offer testimony can pre-register by notifying John Repetz, Community Relations Coordinator by sending email to: jrepetz@pa.gov.

Written comments and testimony will be accepted until 4:00 p.m. on June 22. Those comments can be addressed to Steve DeMars, DEP Southcentral Regional Office, 909 Elmerton Avenue, Harrisburg, PA 17110 or by email to: sdemars@pa.gov.

6/13/2016