City council okays Lock Haven drought emergency; well water to be tapped

LOCK HAVEN, PA – City Council Monday night gave its approval by resolution to the city’s recently announced emergency water usage declaration.

City Manager Greg Wilson said rainfall over the weekend amounted to about an inch, but not enough to alleviate the very low water levels at the city’s Keller and Ohl Reservoirs.

Because of the drought emergency, the city will spend approximately a million dollars, the cost of temporary hook-ups on the city’s new wells on McKinney Road in Wayne Township. The well water will be transported into the city system after chlorination. According to the city manager, the wells have tested as true groundwater wells which mean with disinfection, they could be distributed directly into the water system without the extra expense of having the water piped to the water filtration plant.  The supplemental source will enable the two city reservoirs to recharge.

It was noted that in 2007, the last significant drought situation, the city had to pump water from the Susquehanna River to the filtration plant, which today, Wilson said, would cost significantly more than what is currently available through the well use. The city will now seek well approval through an emergency permit from the state Department of Environmental Protection. Council directed the City Engineer, Gwin Dobson & Forman, to engineer the emergency connection to the city system which serves customers from both the Lock Haven and Suburban Water systems. It is hoped approval will be received and the new water source in use by mid-to-late November.

Per the emergency declaration:

2023 Water Emergency

As a customer of the City of Lock Haven or the Suburban Lock Haven Water Authority, you are being notified that the water system that serves your community has declared a Stage II drought Emergency.  While both the city and Suburban have been asking customers to make 20% voluntary reductions in water use, the purpose of this webpage is to inform you that until further notice, the following non-essential uses of water are now prohibited:

1. The use of hoses, sprinklers, or other means for sprinkling or watering of shrubbery, trees, lawns, grass, plants, vines, gardens, vegetables, flowers, or any other vegetation.
2. The use of water for washing automobiles, trucks, trailers, trailer houses, or any other type of mobile equipment.
3. The washing of streets, driveways, parking lots, service station aprons, office buildings, exteriors of homes, sidewalks, apartments, or other outdoor surfaces.
4. The operation of any ornamental fountain or other structures making a similar use of water.
5. The use of water for filling swimming or wading pools.
6. The operation of any water-cooled comfort air-conditioning which does not have water-conserving equipment.
7. The use of water from fire hydrants for construction purposes or fire drills.
8. The use of water to flush a sewer line or sewer manhole.
9. The use of water for commercial farms and nurseries other than a bare minimum to preserve plants, crops, and livestock.
10. Bulk water sales for non-essential uses, including Marcellus Shale Drilling operations, will be terminated.

Local law enforcement officials will be requested to investigate violations, and violations may result in reduction of flow to the meter, termination of water service, and/or civil penalties under 35 Pa. C.S. 551-555, 751-754.

Mary Jo Johnson from Johnson’s Beauty Salon on Grove Street addressed city council.  She said she was speaking on behalf of the tenants who live above her salon and also on behalf of her clients who have disabilities. She said her tenants don’t appreciate the noise from the bands when the nearby Old Corner is having weekend events on Grove Street.  Council requested that Downtown Lock Haven, Inc. hold a discussion between the interested parties to work out some mutually agreeable solutions.