Newtown Artesian Seeking Zoning Relief For Plant Expansion

NEWTOWN TOWNSHIP, PA — The Newtown Artesian Water Company will be asking the township's zoning hearing board for a special exception and variances to build an addition onto its operations building at 251 Frost Lane for the removal of PFAS (the forever chemical) from its water system.

The company is seeking a special exception and a variance to build a 2,000-square-foot, two-story addition onto its Utility Operating Facility, including related driveway, parking and related improvements.

The company is asking for a special exception to allow for the expansion of the facility and variances for rear yard setback, building height, and buffer requirements.

The addition is needed, says the water company's application, to install equipment that will remove PFAS, including perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), from the water system, which provides public water to Newtown Township, Newtown Borough and the northern portion of Middletown Township.

“Since the contamination of wells in Bucks and Montgomery counties due to the PFOA and PFAS contamination of the Willow Grove Naval Air Station, the applicant's water system requires filtration to remove dangerous PFAS contaminants," says the company's application. "The proposed addition to the existing building will permit equipment to do just that.”

The utility said the relief being requested from the zoning board is the minimum necessary "to afford reasonable use of the property considering the existing and threatened contamination of the public water system. What is proposed is in keeping with the character of the neighborhood ... What is proposed is not adverse to public health, safety and welfare, but in furtherance of it."

The water company is scheduled to appear before the township's planning commission on March 19 before taking its case to the zoning hearing board.