Second test well to be drilled on Quentin Mennonite School property

This article was funded by LebTown donors as part of our Civic Impact Reporting Project.

The West Cornwall Township Municipal Authority (WCTMA) board approved the drilling of a second test well on a part of the Quentin Mennonite School property away from the site of the first test well.

That decision came after board members learned about issues with the test well drilled in early February. Results of a water sample from that well showed iron and nitrate contaminations above Pennsylvania drinking water standards, according to a report from Patriot Environmental Management, the authority’s consulting hydrogeologist, shared at Tuesday’s meeting.

The elevated nitrate concentration likely is the result of agricultural activities, according to the report, while the iron concentration likely is caused by the area’s underlying geology.

Another complication is the existence of an underground cave or void between 127 feet and 139 feet below ground surface, which could significantly affect the well’s production, Jeff Steckbeck, authority engineer, told the board.

Given those concerns, Patriot considered four alternative sites for a new well but concluded that the Mennonite school property was the most promising, Steckbeck said.

It is anticipated that the underground cave might be avoided by changing the location, and that drilling at a greater depth may limit the potential for nitrate contamination, according to Patriot.

Cost of drilling the second test well is estimated at $12,000, Steckbeck said.

In other business, Steckbeck reported that the City of Lebanon Authority (CoLA) has temporarily halted the project for an emergency connection of water systems between West Cornwall Township and Cornwall Borough.

In the event of a disruption of water service, the interconnection would allow WCTMA to provide water to Cornwall and vice versa. The sources of water for the two entities differ as WCTMA operates groundwater wells while CoLA provides water to Cornwall.

Steckbeck characterized CoLA board members as reluctant to mix its surface water with high pH with WCTMA’s groundwater with a lower pH. CoLA’s high pH protects its distribution pipes from corrosion, Steckbeck said. Corrosion of lead pipes was a factor in the water crisis in Flint, Michigan.

WCTMA’s proposal to divert wastewater in the Stoberdale area of Mount Gretna from the Mount Gretna Authority to CoLA for treatment is on hold, Steckbeck said.

Mount Gretna Authority (MGA) has submitted a permit application for its wastewater treatment and is waiting for review comments from the state Department of Environmental Protection before considering WCTMA’s proposal, Steckbeck said.

In February, representatives of WCTMA attended an MGA meeting to discuss sending all Mount Gretna sewage to CoLA for treatment as a way to reduce costs. Currently, MGA treats wastewater from three WCT neighborhoods including Stoberdale, Mount Gretna Heights, and Mount Gretna Campmeeting, as well as from Mount Gretna Borough.

In other business, the board approved a request from Lebanon Valley Brethren Home for the authority to serve as a conduit for the issuance of $38 million of tax-free Healthcare Facilities Revenue Bonds. The authority has previously served in this capacity for the Brethren home.

Authority members also approved a contract with Lebanon County Planning Department for  a $25,000 Marcellus Shale grant to assist with the purchase of an emergency generator for the Quentin water system. Estimated cost of the generator is $75,000, Steckbeck said.

The next regularly scheduled meeting of the West Cornwall Township Municipal Authority is Tuesday, June 2. The authority meets at 6 p.m. in the West Cornwall Township Municipal Building, 73 S. Zinns Mill Road. Meetings are open to the public.