It’s been about one month since Reno residents were advised to not consume their public water. Now, there could be some light at the end of the tunnel for the more than 200 residential and business customers of Venango Water Co.
A high-ranking official with Aqua Pennsylvania — the water company that received an emergency order from the state Public Utility Commission to operate Venango Water Co., based on water quality issues facing the Reno community — said it’s possible that customers could have consumable water in about a week.
“It (the system) should be in good shape in a week, as long as everything tests good,” Todd Duerr, vice president of operations for Aqua Pennsylvania, told the newspaper on Wednesday evening during water distribution to residents at the Reno fire hall.
He said if the tests don’t meet DEP approval, “then we should know exactly where we are headed” in attempts to resolve the issue.
It was learned during a town hall meeting that drew about 100 residents to the Reno social hall on Monday evening that Montgomery County-based Aqua Pennsylvania was brought in to Reno via “receivership.”
At the meeting, company representative Steve Clark explained a receivership is “when the PUC sees major issues, or in this case, an operator asks for support from the PUC, which is what happened with the Venango Water Co., and asks us to operate a system.”
He said the PUC order states Venango Water Co. continues to own the system, but Aqua Pennsylvania is operating it until the problem is resolved.
“We’ve had 15 people of all trades here since Saturday and 170,000 gallons of water have been pumped in since Sunday” for use, but not consumption, Duerr told the newspaper.
Zach Martin, Aqua Pennsylvania’s western area manager, told the newspaper that when the company arrived Saturday, the water tank “was near empty” and that the “suspect spring” had already been taken offline and “nobody lost water.”
A Venango Water Co. customer who chose to remain anonymous told the newspaper on Thursday that for about two days before the “do not consume” advisory was issued, he noticed “tingy” water coming in as he ran it.
Duerr said since his company’s arrival, Reno residents have been “very appreciative of us, and how we all have been working together as a community should.”
Venango County Commissioner Albert Abramovic, who also was at the water distribution, said he and fellow commissioners Sam Breene and Mike Dulaney have been coming to Reno to check on progress and to offer assistance where needed.
“I’ve been here every day since about a week after it began,” Abramovic said. “The beehive of activity” generated by Aqua Pennsylvania, volunteers and the community “has been invigorating.”
Mathew Beith, a candidate for Venango County commissioner, was among the volunteers at the water distribution, as he helped people fill containers and also delivered water to residents who couldn’t get to the fire hall because of physical limitations or work commitments.
Beith, who also is chairperson of the Franklin Housing Authority, said the authority recently donated a unit for Reno residents wishing to bathe or shower, and that a washer and dryer has been donated to that unit by Appliance Pros.
As the water distribution came to a close Wednesday evening, Jessica Struthers, chair of the Reno Neighborhood Association, said members from a record 34 households arrived to fill their containers. “We have lots of volunteers” to help.
It was back on July 20 when a discharge from a brine storage tank was identified, prompting Venango Water Co. to issue its “do not consume” water advisory. The DEP had confirmed, via its surface inspection report, the release of brine. Petro Erie has been cited for various violations in that report.
Even once the water issue is finally resolved, Duerr said it isn’t certain as to how long Aqua Pennsylvania’s services will be needed.
“Our receivership order says we can’t leave until the PUC says we can leave,” he said.
