Environmental Advisory Council Network, A Project of the PA Environmental Council SOURCE WATER PROTECTION IN BERKS COUNTY

Environmental Advisory Council Network, A Project of the PA Environmental Council SOURCE WATER PROTECTION IN BERKS COUNTY Environmental Advisory Council Network, A Project of the PA Environmental Council Overview of Source Water Protection in Berks County Major sources of contamination included (PA DEP source water assessments Year ??): –Abandoned Mine Drainage –Agricultural Practices –Urban/Suburban Storm Water Runoff –Sewage Overflows –Transportation Accidents Protection priorities included: –Land areas within a 5 hour time of travel to an intake –Sub-watersheds along the Schuylkill River and across the northwestern portion of the county

Environmental Advisory Council Network, A Project of the PA Environmental Council SOURCE WATER PROTECTION IN BERKS COUNTY Potential Sources of Pollution Fires & Accidents Wastewater Discharge Construction Agriculture Runoff Dam Sediments Tire Piles Sewer Overflows WildlifeAlgaeRoad Salt

Environmental Advisory Council Network, A Project of the PA Environmental Council SOURCE WATER PROTECTION IN BERKS COUNTY Environmental Advisory Council Network, A Project of the PA Environmental Council Berks County Water Intakes in the Schuylkill Watershed 8 drinking water utilities have surface water treatment plants –Auburn Borough Municipal Authority (2) –Birdsboro Municipal Authority (4) –Boyertown Municipal Authority (3) –Hamburg Borough (1) –Hamburg Center (3) –Reading Area Water Authority (2) –Wernersville State (2) –Western Berks Water Authority (1)

Environmental Advisory Council Network, A Project of the PA Environmental Council SOURCE WATER PROTECTION IN BERKS COUNTY Map of Schuylkill River with intakes

Environmental Advisory Council Network, A Project of the PA Environmental Council SOURCE WATER PROTECTION IN BERKS COUNTY Environmental Advisory Council Network, A Project of the PA Environmental Council Municipal Roles in Source Water Protection Human activity impacts water quality –Development, farming, roadway and domestic sewerage and other activities can all have negative effects on stream quality

Environmental Advisory Council Network, A Project of the PA Environmental Council SOURCE WATER PROTECTION IN BERKS COUNTY Environmental Advisory Council Network, A Project of the PA Environmental Council Population Changes in the Berks County Region Changes in Population

Environmental Advisory Council Network, A Project of the PA Environmental Council SOURCE WATER PROTECTION IN BERKS COUNTY Changes in Developed Lands Berks County

Environmental Advisory Council Network, A Project of the PA Environmental Council SOURCE WATER PROTECTION IN BERKS COUNTY Environmental Advisory Council Network, A Project of the PA Environmental Council Schuylkill River Landuse & Stream Impairments Urban/ Suburba n Rural (for now) Agr. AMD

Environmental Advisory Council Network, A Project of the PA Environmental Council SOURCE WATER PROTECTION IN BERKS COUNTY Berks County Land Cover 2000

SOURCE WATER PROTECTION IN BERKS COUNTY Environmental Advisory Council Network, A Project of the PA Environmental Council Source Water Protection in the Tulpehocken Creek Region Home to over 62,000 people 66% agriculture, 8% developed, 24% forested 219 square miles Blue Marsh Lake is a major recreational resource for swimming, boating, fishing, hiking and biking Western Berks Water Authority Intake, Wernersville Intake

Environmental Advisory Council Network, A Project of the PA Environmental Council SOURCE WATER PROTECTION IN BERKS COUNTY Impaired Streams Map

SOURCE WATER PROTECTION IN BERKS COUNTY Environmental Advisory Council Network, A Project of the PA Environmental Council Priority Runoff Protection Areas Tulpehocken and Wernersville Intakes: Bern, Penn, Bernville, Jefferson, North Heidelberg, Lower Heidelberg, South Heidelberg, Heidelberg and Marion Townships Source Water Protection Resources –The Tulpehocken Creek Conservation Plan –Source Water Assessments for Western Berks and Wernersville

SOURCE WATER PROTECTION IN BERKS COUNTY Environmental Advisory Council Network, A Project of the PA Environmental Council Source Water Protection Zones for Western Berks and Wernersville Intakes

SOURCE WATER PROTECTION IN BERKS COUNTY Environmental Advisory Council Network, A Project of the PA Environmental Council Priority Protection Areas for the Schuylkill Watershed

SOURCE WATER PROTECTION IN BERKS COUNTY Environmental Advisory Council Network, A Project of the PA Environmental Council Source Water Protection in the Maiden Creek Region Home to over 37,000 people 58% agriculture, 4% developed, 34% forested 216 square miles Lake Ontelaunee is a major recreational resource for fishing, hiking and biking Lake Ontelaunee and Maiden Creek supply Reading Area Water Authorities drinking water

SOURCE WATER PROTECTION IN BERKS COUNTY Environmental Advisory Council Network, A Project of the PA Environmental Council Impaired Streams Map

SOURCE WATER PROTECTION IN BERKS COUNTY Environmental Advisory Council Network, A Project of the PA Environmental Council Priority Runoff Protection Areas for Reading Area Water Authorities Intakes Richmond, Greenwich, Perry, Windsor, Albany, Maiden Creek and Ontelaunee Townships Source Water Protection Activities –RAWA developing a Source Water Protection Plan –Kutztown developing a Wellhead Protection Plan –Schuylkill Action Network implementing streambank restoration projects in the watershed.

SOURCE WATER PROTECTION IN BERKS COUNTY Environmental Advisory Council Network, A Project of the PA Environmental Council Priority Protection Areas for the Schuylkill Watersheds

SOURCE WATER PROTECTION IN BERKS COUNTY Environmental Advisory Council Network, A Project of the PA Environmental Council Source Water Protection in the Monocacy and Manatawny Region Home to over 33,000 people 53% agriculture, 5% developed, 41% forested 117 square miles Ironstone Creek, Popodickon Reservoir and Trout Run Reservoir supply drinking water to the Boyertown Water Authority

SOURCE WATER PROTECTION IN BERKS COUNTY Environmental Advisory Council Network, A Project of the PA Environmental Council Impaired Streams Map

SOURCE WATER PROTECTION IN BERKS COUNTY Environmental Advisory Council Network, A Project of the PA Environmental Council Priority Runoff Protection Areas for Reading Area Water Authorities Intakes Earl, Colebrookdale and lower Pike Townships and the Borough of Boyertown

SOURCE WATER PROTECTION IN BERKS COUNTY Environmental Advisory Council Network, A Project of the PA Environmental Council Source Water Protection Zones for Boyertown

SOURCE WATER PROTECTION IN BERKS COUNTY Environmental Advisory Council Network, A Project of the PA Environmental Council Priority Protection Areas for the Schuylkill Watershed

SOURCE WATER PROTECTION IN BERKS COUNTY Environmental Advisory Council Network, A Project of the PA Environmental Council Source Water Protection in the Hay and Allegheny Region Home to 9700 people 28% agriculture, 4% developed, 67% forested 4 square miles – Birdsboro Reservoirs

SOURCE WATER PROTECTION IN BERKS COUNTY Environmental Advisory Council Network, A Project of the PA Environmental Council Water Intakes and Impaired Streams in the Hay and Allegheny Watershed Region

SOURCE WATER PROTECTION IN BERKS COUNTY Environmental Advisory Council Network, A Project of the PA Environmental Council Priority Runoff Protection Areas – Birdsboro Municipal Authority Hay Creek Watershed – Robeson, Union and New Morgan Townships Birdsboro Municipal Authority is developing a Source Water Protection Plan, will want to work with Municipal Officials

SOURCE WATER PROTECTION IN BERKS COUNTY Environmental Advisory Council Network, A Project of the PA Environmental Council Source Water Protection Zones, Birdsboro and Pottstown Intakes

SOURCE WATER PROTECTION IN BERKS COUNTY Environmental Advisory Council Network, A Project of the PA Environmental Council Priority Protection Areas for Schuylkill Watershed

Environmental Advisory Council Network, A Project of the PA Environmental Council SOURCE WATER PROTECTION IN BERKS COUNTY Practicing Source Water Protection … Immediate Intake Areas (less than ½ mile upstream from intake) –preserve open land/buffers

Environmental Advisory Council Network, A Project of the PA Environmental Council SOURCE WATER PROTECTION IN BERKS COUNTY Environmental Advisory Council Network, A Project of the PA Environmental Council Practicing Source Water Protection … (Cont.) High Priority Areas (less than 5 hour travel time and within ¼ mile of streambank) –preserve buffers, connect buffers, reclaim buffers –enhanced storm water Best Management Practices redevelopment should include BMPs public properties have “gold standard” BMPs –stricter controls for runoff (ordinances) (no buffer bypassing) –limit development to low impact activities, redirect to areas further from the drinking water intake –no floodplain development (FEMA buyouts)

Environmental Advisory Council Network, A Project of the PA Environmental Council SOURCE WATER PROTECTION IN BERKS COUNTY Practicing Source Water Protection … Moderate Priority Areas (between 5 and 25 hours of travel time) –Continue to preserve buffers whenever possible –General development preferred, with buffer restrictions Connection of High Priority Areas from one intake to another

Environmental Advisory Council Network, A Project of the PA Environmental Council SOURCE WATER PROTECTION IN BERKS COUNTY Environmental Advisory Council Network, A Project of the PA Environmental Council Practicing Source Water Protection … (Cont.) Other Items To Consider –Synergy with regional “trails” –Sewer system capacity and sewer overflows –Coordination with Storm Water Requirements –“Green Infrastructure” –Costs of fixing impaired streams (100’s of $$$ millions)

Environmental Advisory Council Network, A Project of the PA Environmental Council SOURCE WATER PROTECTION IN BERKS COUNTY What’s In Your Water Supply?

Environmental Advisory Council Network, A Project of the PA Environmental Council SOURCE WATER PROTECTION IN BERKS COUNTY Credits This (workshop, brochure, video, etc.) has been funded (or partially funded) by the League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania Citizen Education Fund through a Section 319 Federal Clean Water Act grant from the US Environmental Protection Agency administered by Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.

Environmental Advisory Council Network, A Project of the PA Environmental Council End Of Presentation