PA Environment Digest

Share this:

The Derrick: PUC To Hold Second Hearing July 15 On Venango Water Company [Impacts Continue From Conventional Oil Well Wastewater Contamination Of Water Supply]

On July 11, 2024, The Derrick published an update on events surrounding the contamination of a spring serving as a source of water for the Venango Water Company and the Village of Reno by a conventional oil well wastewater spill on July 19, 2023--

Public Utility Commission Administrative Law Judge Mark A. Hoyer announced there will be a second prehearing on July 15 at 10:00 a.m. to discuss the proceedings surrounding the future of the Venango Water Company and six other water companies owned by the Blaine Edwin Rhodes Estate in Venango County.

The proceedings are to determine whether the Commission should issue an order to have another public utility acquire the Venango Water Company and the other companies involved.

The seven companies include the Venango Water Company, Sugar Creek Water Company, West Hickory Water Company, Plumer Water Company, Fryburg Water Company, Cooperstown Water Company and Blaine E. Rhodes Sewer Company.

At a prehearing on May 28, Judge Hoyer issued an order requiring the seven water companies owned by the Blaine Edwin Rhodes Estate, as well as the Estate itself, to hire legal representation to participate in upcoming hearings.

So far, only the Rhodes Estate has retained counsel-- Gregory J. Merkel, according to the PUC docket files on the proceeding.

Details on how to join the July 15 prehearing are available in the official notice.

Only parties formally part of this proceeding can participate in the prehearing, however, the public and others may listen to the discussion at the hearing.

The customers and municipalities served by the seven water systems owned by the Rhodes Estate have until July 12 to notify the Public Utility Commission they would like to intervene in the proceeding.

The instructions on how to intervene are available in the notice.

Documents related to this proceeding can be found at PUC Docket No. M-2023-3042180 and I-2023-3042312.

These PUC actions are related to the problems caused by a Petro Erie, Inc. oil well spill that contaminated the Bellows Spring water supply last July 19, resulting in a “do not consume” advisory in the Village of Reno that lasted six weeks.

The PUC last August issued an emergency order to Aqua Pennsylvania to operate the Venango Water Company in receivership so water service could continue to be provided to its customers.

The PUC action was also prompted by the desire of Randall and Kevin Rhodes, operators of the Venango Water Company for the Rhodes Estate, to cease being certified operators for their water companies.

Aqua Pennsylvania Status Report

On July 8, Aqua Pennsylvania submitted its fourth status report to the PUC on operations at the Venango Water Company.

Aqua reported it put a bulk water receiving station in service on June 5 to receive trucked water to supplement the supplies lost from the Bellows Spring contamination.

A leak was also repaired in the Shaffer Run Spring Station requiring the replacement of piping at the station.

Aqua said it is developing a capital improvements plan for the water system and will provide recommendations in a future status report.

Visit the Aqua Pennsylvania Village of Reno Customers webpage for more information on the Venango Water company receivership.

Appeal Of Cleanup Order Extended

Petro Erie, Inc. appealed the Department of Environmental Protection order to cleanup the oil well spill to the Environmental Hearing Board last September, but the appeal has been on hold since while DEP and Petro Erie try to work out a settlement.

The Environmental Hearing Board recently again extended the hold on the appeal until July 25 to allow more time to work out an agreement.

DEP’s last inspection of the spill site on May 1 and previous inspections found no cleanup work had been done since before the cleanup order was appealed in September.

Visit DEP’s Venango Water Company/Petro Erie, Inc. webpage to learn more about the actions taken by DEP.

NewsClip:

-- The Derrick: PUC To Hold Second Pre-Hearing Regarding Venango Water Company [Impacts Continue From Conventional Oil Well Wastewater Contamination Of Water Supply] [PDF of article ]

Related Articles - Village Of Reno Water Contamination:

-- The Derrick: PUC Judge Orders 7 Rhodes Estate Water Companies To Secure Counsel For Hearings On Their Future [More Fallout From Conventional Oil Well Wastewater Spill In Venango County] [PaEN]

-- The Derrick: PUC To Hold May 21 Prehearing On Future Of Venango Water Company; Water Source Contaminated By Conventional Oil Well Wastewater Spill [PaEN]

-- The Derrick: State Intervenes In Venango Water Case [Fallout Continues From Conventional Oil Well Wastewater Spill] [PaEN]

-- The Derrick: Public Utility Commission Starts Investigation Into Possible Order For Another Utility To Permanently Acquire Venango Water Company Impacted By Conventional Oil Well Spill [PaEN]

-- The Derrick: Aqua Pennsylvania Continues To Operate The Water System Serving The Village Of Reno After A Conventional Well Wastewater Release Contaminated Its Water Supply Last July In Venango County [PaEN]

-- The Derrick: DEP: Little Headway In Reno Oil Well Wastewater Cleanup In Venango County [PaEN

-- Petro Erie, Inc. Says It Lacks The Financial Ability To Comply With DEP’s Order To Clean Up Conventional Oil Well Wastewater That Contaminated The Village Of Reno’s Water Supply In Venango County; Will Taxpayers/Ratepayers Be Stuck With Cleanup Costs Again? [PaEN]

PA Oil & Gas Industry Public Notice Dashboards: