Traymore Manor Residents Pleased with DEP Proposal For Clean Water.

Four representatives from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection Agency conducted an informational and hopeful public meeting in the Northampton Township Administration building Thursday evening.

The purpose of the meeting was to summarize their findings regarding well water contamination as it pertains specifically to the Traymore Manor community, which lies in the west corner of Northampton Township between Almshouse Road and Jacksonville Road and to propose the DEP’s solution to bring public water to the homes in the affected area at no installation cost to any of the residents except that they would have to pay water bills in the future. 

Conducting the meeting were Bonnie McClennen, Project Officer, and Lynda Rebarchak, Community Relations Coordinator from the Norristown regional office, both of whom summarized their purpose for the evening. Attorney Bill Blasberg also spoke about the proposal. Thomas (Tim) Sheehan, HSCA Supervisor for the Environmental Cleanup Program added comments from the rear of the room.

State Representative Scott Petri listened carefully to the proposal, then during public comment, spoke affirmatively in support of the plan as did many of the more than 100 residents in attendance. George Komelasky, chairperson of the Board of Supervisors, also spoke in favor of the project.

Maureen Pritz, 39 Norwood Dr., a resident for 13 years, expressed emotional gratitude to the DEP for investigating her original complaint in May, 2010, when she contacted the them about the high level of contaminants in her well water test results. She felt her concerns now have been validated and will be acted upon. Pritz feared for her family’s safety since no water containgint contaminants is safe for drinking, inhaling, or using for bathing. People in Traymore Manor have been drinking bottled water for a long time because of their water fears.

Pritz is one of the 21 Traymore Manor properties with excessive levels of TCE and other contaminants in the well water as represented by red dots on the map attached.

Yellow dots represent 17 homes with high levels of contaminates while samples of well water of homes represented by green dots have shown acceptable levels at this time.

The DEP proposal includes bringing public water to 109 residents, capping their wells, and doing whatever else needs to be done to correct the situation about which resideints have been complaining for years. The Northampton Township Water and Sewer Authority will supervise the installation and then will be reimbursed by the DEP. 

The project, expected to cost up to $2 Million, will not get started until after Oct. 25, 2011, until which time the DEP will accept comments from township residents by phone, email or US mail.  The DEP's website is www.depweb.state.pa.us.  Lynda Rebarchak’s email address is lrebarchak@state.pa.us. Emphasized was the importance of people contacting the DEP to express their approval of this project. 

Pritz also said with disappointment, "It's difficult to understand, but some of my neighbors whose wells are not yet contaminated actually don't want public water." 

Rebarchak and Sheehan said neighboring homes can have different test results depending how deep or shallow their wells are, and from which underground streams they draw, which explains how homes with red dots can be surrounded by homes with green dots. Contamination can change as underground streams redirect.

Before the meeting ended, people were describing themselves as being “red dots,” “yellow dots" or “green dots” to express how important they thought this project to be.  People who currently are “green dots” know that their color could change at any time depending from where the contaminants are coming.

Homeowners expressed how much they like their community, but not only is their health at risk, they know their homes have little value for resale under the current conditions. Others expressed dismay that water lines were not laid at the same time as the sewer lines, not only to save money but because of the inconvenience the sewer project caused everyone just last year.

When some nearby residents expressed disappointment that their homes will not be included in this project, Rebarchak said anyone may file their well walter test results and their complaint will be investigated in the same manner as were those by current residents.

Some of the many people raising their voices in support of the project: Marguerite Jordan, 72 N. Traymore; Joseph Carney, 134 Inland; Patricia Lyons, 110 N. Traymore; Bruce Hentschel, 47 S. Traymore; Roger Bushnell, 91 Hunt; Richard Hope, 174 N. Traymore; Michael Granieri, 110 Inland; David Thornton, 93 N. Traymore; Mike Devitt, 7 S. Traymore.  

Hope added he is devastated. He said his neighborhood is stigmatized and wants the plan to move forward quickly. Carney requested none of the work be done at night.

John Grace, 23 Driscoll, lives just out of the area, but expressed wishes his home could be included in the project, as did Norman Rodowicz of nearby 48 MacFarland Rd.

Other officials of Northampton Township who also attended the meeting included Township Manager Robert Pellegrino, Vincent Deon, Tony Albano and Frank Rothermel, who expressed his disappointment in the unresponsiveness of many local officials who, he stated, have for years ignored the contaminated well water problems.

At the conclusion of the meeting, many people stopped to privately thank State Representative Petri for his help in moving this project forward.

No more meetings are scheduled at this time.