Hello Residents,
The Benner Township Water Authority will be completing quarterly blow offs Monday, September 11, 2023 from 10:00 a.m. to approximately 12:00 p.m. Residents may experience a reduction in water pressure during this time.
If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact our Authority office at 814-355-4778.
Sincerely,
Benner Township Water Authority
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PA DEP) announced on August 24, 2023 after a meeting of the Commonwealth Drought Task Force that the drought watch has been lifted for 47 counties and remains for 20 counties. Centre County is among the 47 counties that the drought watch has been lifted. You can review the full press release here.
Thank you for your assistance in conserving water during this time. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact our Authority office at 814-355-4778.
Sincerely,
Benner Township Water Authority
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PA DEP) has issued a drought watch across multiple counties including Centre. The declaration is in response to low stream flows, declining groundwater levels, and below-normal precipitation primarily across counties in the northern and eastern portions of Pennsylvania.
Residents are asked to reduce water use by 5%-10% through voluntary conservation measures.
• Run water only when necessary. Don’t let the faucet run while brushing your teeth or shaving. Shorten the time you let the water run to warm up before showering.
• Run the dishwasher and washing machine less often, and only with full loads.
• Water your garden in the cooler evening or morning hours, and direct the water to the ground at the base of the plant, so you don’t waste water through evaporation.
• Water your lawn only if necessary. Apply no more than 1 inch of water per week (use an empty can to determine how long it takes to water 1 inch). Avoid watering on windy and hot days. This pattern will encourage healthier, deeper grass roots. Over-watering is wasteful, encourages fungal growth and disease, and results in shallow, compacted root systems that are more susceptible to drought.
• When mowing your lawn, set the blades to 2-3 inches high. Longer grass shades the soil, improving moisture retention. It also grows thicker and develops a deeper root system, so it can better survive drought.
• Check for and repair household leaks. For example, a leaking toilet can waste up to 200 gallons of water daily.
• Sweep your sidewalk, deck, or driveway instead of hosing it off.
• Replace older appliances with high-efficiency, front-loading models that use about 30 percent less water and 40-50 percent less energy.
• Install low-flow plumbing fixtures and aerators on faucets.
• Set up a rain barrel to be ready to repurpose rain when it does fall.
For more information please use the Drought Information Center on PA DEP’s website : https://www.dep.pa.gov/business/water/planningconservation/drought/pages/default.aspx
Hello Residents of the Hampton/Opequon, and Grove Park Water Systems,
You will be receiving a letter in the mail requesting to allow our Authority personnel into your homes to complete a service line inventory survey. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in January 2021, published the Lead and Copper Rule Revisions (LCRR) which requires all community and nontransient noncommunity water systems to submit this service line inventory to Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PA DEP) by October 2024 (click here to find more information on PA DEP’s website regarding the LCRR).
The Benner Township Water Authority’s water main system is virtually lead-free; however, the water service line running from the water main into your home may consist of lead. We are updating our records and working towards a lead-free water supply system for our customers. We would like to verify and confirm the type of water service line coming from the water main in the street to your home as well as your internal plumbing material.
This inventory survey is just the first step of the new requirements for public water systems regarding lead and copper; therefore, we would like to collect as much information as possible now to aid in a smoother transition going forward. This information will also assist us with our current lead and copper sampling plan that is required by PA DEP.
Once you receive your letter in the mail, please contact our Authority office at 814-355-4778 to schedule an appointment. If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
Sincerely,
Benner Township Water Authority
Hello Residents,
The Benner Township Water Authority will be completing quarterly blow offs Monday, March 6, 2023, from 11:00 a.m. to approximately 12:00 p.m. Residents may experience a reduction in water pressure during this time.
If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact our Authority office at 814-355-4778.
Sincerely,
Benner Township Water Authority
** Update 10/24/2022 @ 8:46 AM **
Water service has been restored to Buttercup Way. If you experience any issues please don’t hesitate to contact our Authority office at 814-355-4778.
** Update 10/24/2022 @ 7:31 AM **
Buttercup Way Residents – Water will be off on 10/24/2022 from 8:30 AM through 11:00 AM. We apologize for any inconvenience. Thank you for your patience and understanding during this time.
** Update 10/21/2022 @ 2:52 PM **
The Benner Township Water Authority is still looking for the water leak. There is a planned interruption in water service scheduled for Monday, October 24, 2022 starting at 3:00 a.m. through 5:00 a.m. Residents may experience a loss in water pressure during this time.
Thank you for your patience and understanding. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact our Authority office at 814-355-4778.
** 10/20/2022 @ Update 11:35 AM **
Opequon residents may experience loss in water from 12:30 p.m. through 1:30 p.m. today, 10/20/2022.
10/20/2022
Attention Hampton Hills & Opequon Residents:
The Benner Township Water Authority is currently looking for a water leak within your neighborhood. You may experience a difference in water pressure during this time.
We will keep this page updated as more information becomes available. We appreciate your patience and understanding during this time.
Sincerely,
Benner Township Water Authority
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PA DEP) has issues a drought watch across multiple counties including Centre. The declaration is in response to low stream flows, declining groundwater levels, and below-normal precipitation primarily across counties in the northern and eastern portions of Pennsylvania.
Residents are asked to reduce water use by 5%-10% through voluntary conservation measures.
• Run water only when necessary. Don’t let the faucet run while brushing your teeth or shaving. Shorten the time you let the water run to warm up before showering.
• Run the dishwasher and washing machine less often, and only with full loads.
• Water your garden in the cooler evening or morning hours, and direct the water to the ground at the base of the plant, so you don’t waste water through evaporation.
• Water your lawn only if necessary. Apply no more than 1 inch of water per week (use an empty can to determine how long it takes to water 1 inch). Avoid watering on windy and hot days. This pattern will encourage healthier, deeper grass roots. Over-watering is wasteful, encourages fungal growth and disease, and results in shallow, compacted root systems that are more susceptible to drought.
• When mowing your lawn, set the blades to 2-3 inches high. Longer grass shades the soil, improving moisture retention. It also grows thicker and develops a deeper root system, so it can better survive drought.
• Check for and repair household leaks. For example, a leaking toilet can waste up to 200 gallons of water daily.
• Sweep your sidewalk, deck, or driveway instead of hosing it off.
• Replace older appliances with high-efficiency, front-loading models that use about 30 percent less water and 40-50 percent less energy.
• Install low-flow plumbing fixtures and aerators on faucets.
• Set up a rain barrel to be ready to repurpose rain when it does fall.
For more information please use the Drought Information Center on PA DEP’s website : https://www.dep.pa.gov/business/water/planningconservation/drought/pages/default.aspx
Benner Township Water Authority will begin water main and fire hydrant flushing the morning of August 16, 2022 in Grove Park and Hampton Hills. Residents may experience temporary discoloration of water and a temporary reduction in water pressure between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact our Authority office at 814-355-4778. Sincerely,Benner Township Water Authority
Benner Township Water Authority will be completing quarterly blow offs on March 22, 2022. Residents may experience low water pressure during this time.
Grove Park residents may experience a difference in water pressure at approximately 10:00 a.m.
If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact our Authority office.
Thank you for your understanding.
The Benner Township Water Authority (BTWA) has been discussing the development of a new well to supplement and replace the Grove Park well. This well has an elevated nitrate level that is nearing the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s maximum contaminant level of 10 parts per million (ppm). Consuming nitrates may affect the human body causing what is known as methemoglobinemia, a blood disorder that affects the body’s ability to transport oxygen in our blood.
The BTWA has completed many tests for nitrates in private wells within Benner Township including the areas of Upper Seibert Road, Willowbend Development, Raymonds Lane, Lower Gyp Road and Buffalo Run Road, near the vicinity of the Benner Elementary School. All private wells tested contained various levels of nitrates. As a result of the testing of these private wells and hydrogeological work, we have located a major fault in the bedrock that has a relatively low level of nitrates.
We are currently planning the development of a municipal well along Raymonds Lane or Upper Seibert Road to serve our current customers. The well would be located near this fault in the bedrock to avoid higher nitrate levels and infrastructure would need to be constructed to connect to our existing water system at the Grove Park development. The location of the infrastructure may depend upon whether or not any of the homes in this area are interested in connecting to the public water system.
If you live in the Upper Seibert Road, Raymonds Lane or Willowbend Development areas and have any interest in connecting to our public water system please call our office at 814-355-4778 to discuss this further.
If you are interested in having the nitrate level of your well tested, we can also assist you with having this testing completed. A typical test consists of determining the nitrate and nitrite levels in the sample. The current cost for this testing is $80.00 at Fairway Laboratories in Altoona. Fairway Laboratories completes most of the analytical testing for the public water systems in the surrounding area.
If you have any questions or would like to discuss any details of our planning, please contact our office at 814-355-4778.