Land use activities can pose a wide range of
pollution threats to a water supply. Specific activities such as the
use of hazardous substances, underground storage of petroleum products,
municipal and industrial waste disposal, and agricultural practices
are of particular concern. This section describes land uses and specific
activities which pose significant threats to the EPBA's water supplies.
A. Overview of contamination sources.
(1) Table 2 provides an overview of land uses likely to
be encountered within the WHPAs and their relative risk to groundwater.
The higher risks include activities which store or dispose of hazardous
chemicals. There are lists of hundreds of chemicals and substances
which are considered "hazardous" by federal and state governmental
agencies. The most common hazardous materials likely to be used within
the WHPAs include cleaning solvents, petroleum products (i.e., fuels
and lubricants), paints, thinners, stripping agents, and industrial
waste liquids or sludges.
(2) These materials enter groundwater through accidental
spills, leaks from storage tanks, discharge into septic tanks or floor
drains connected to a dry well, or illegally dumped in a waste area.
Even when a high-risk land use is taking proper precautions, some
of the hazardous materials can easily be spilled and enter the groundwater
through surface runoff. Therefore, the high risks listed in Table
2 are not necessarily "bad" businesses but rather high risks.
(3) These high risk land uses are often referred to as
"point sources" of pollution because they originate from a single
source (i.e., storage tank, drain, discharge pipe, etc.) which can
release a substantial amount of contamination to groundwater resources.
The low-risk land uses include activities with potential to release
small amounts of contamination over large areas and are often referred
to as "nonpoint sources" because the pollution does not originate
from a single source (i.e., agricultural practices, nonsewered areas,
etc.). Nevertheless, nonpoint sources of contamination are a concern
to the communities because small amounts of contamination released
over a long period of time can adversely impact groundwater resources.
Common water quality concerns associated with nonpoint contamination
sources include excessive nitrate levels, pesticides, sedimentation,
and surface water contamination (i.e., road salts, bacteria, etc.).
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Table 2
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Land Uses and Their Relative Risk to Groundwater
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Low risk
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1.
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Land surrounding a well or reservoir, owned
by a municipality
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2.
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Permanent open space dedicated to passive recreation
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3.
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Federal, state, municipal, private parks and
forests
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4.
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Woodlands managed for forest products
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5.
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Permanent open space dedicated to active recreation
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6.
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Field crops: pasture, hay, grains, vegetables
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7.
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Low-density residential: lots larger than two
acres
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8.
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Churches, municipal offices
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Medium risk
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1.
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Agricultural production: dairy, livestock, poultry,
nurseries, orchards, berries
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2.
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Golf course, quarries
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3.
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Medium-density residential: lots from 1/2 acre
to one acre
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4.
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Institutional uses: schools, hospitals, nursing
homes, prisons, garages, salt storage, sewage treatment facilities
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5.
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High-density housing: lots smaller than 1/2
acre
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6.
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Commercial uses: limited hazardous material
storage
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High risk
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1.
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Retail commercial: gasoline, farm equipment,
automotive sales and service, dry cleaners, photo processor, medical
arts, furniture strippers, machine shops, radiator repair, printers,
fuel oil distributors
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2.
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Industrial: all forms of manufacturing and processing,
research facilities
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3.
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Underground storage of chemicals, petroleum
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4.
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Waste disposal: pits, ponds, lagoons, injection
wells used for waste disposal, bulky waste and domestic garbage landfills,
hazardous waste treatment, storage and disposal sites
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B. Community inventory of potential contamination sources.
The inventory of potential contamination sources within the WHPAs
focuses on general land uses within the WHPAs rather than on specific
industrial facilities, storage areas, etc. The purpose of the land
use inventory is to provide the Township with a general understanding
of potential threats to groundwater and the amount of available undeveloped
and vacant land which may represent potential for new contamination
sources. This understanding provides a basis for reasonable decisions
concerning the type of management tools to be included as part of
the EPBA's program to control and manage wellhead protection areas.
The following subsections provide an overview of existing contamination
sources in each of the EPBA's wellhead protection areas:
(1) Vaughn Well WHPA.
(a)
The Vaughn Well WHPA includes mixed residential
and commercial development located within East Petersburg Borough
and adjacent areas in East Hempfield Township, as shown in Figure
3. The residential and commercial development located within
this WHPA is served by public sewer and water facilities. There is
also a significant amount of agricultural land in East Hempfield Township.
(b)
There are a number of facilities which represent
potential sources of contamination, including underground fuel oil
storage tanks, retail sales and service companies, dry cleaners, garages
and service stations, and metalworking companies.
(c)
The most significant existing threat to the
water supply is the Fulton Bank Operations Center. Prior to Fulton
Bank, this facility was owned and operated by Hamilton Watch. Acer is aware of the existence of historical accounts of hazardous
waste discharges and that several hydrogeologic studies have been
performed which reportedly identified contamination. According to
a representative of Fulton Bank, a five-year cleanup project is currently
being performed to remove contaminated soil. It is likely that any
contaminant plume located at this facility will migrate towards the
Vaughn Well.
(d)
Other significant threats to the water supply include the agricultural operations in East Hempfield Township and the possibility that this area could be developed. Another concern is groundwater withdrawal by the Hodecker Celery Farm for irrigation purposes. According to the modeling procedure described in §
122-2, this groundwater withdrawal will interfere with the Vaughn Well. Finally, there is also a significant threat to the water supply from fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides associated with lawn and garden care.
(2) Graver Spring WHPA.
(a)
The Graver Spring WHPA includes mixed residential,
commercial, and agricultural areas located in Manheim Township, as
shown in Figure 4. The majority of the residential and commercial development
is served by public sewer and water facilities. However, there are
some areas which are served by on-lot wastewater disposal facilities
and on-site wells.
(b)
Based upon surveys performed by Acer, the most significant source of potential contamination
to the Graver Spring is associated with construction activities for
new development. Construction activities may cause significant changes
in surface water infiltration and may cause increased turbidity at
the spring. Other sources of contamination include industrial operations
in the Flyway Industrial Park and agricultural operations. There is
also a significant threat to the water supply from fertilizers, herbicides,
and pesticides associated with lawn and garden care.
Community support is essential for the successful
implementation of the Wellhead Protection Program. It is Acer's opinion that efforts aimed at preventing new sources of
potential contamination from locating within WHPAs are likely to receive
more favorable community support than efforts aimed at controlling
and managing existing contamination sources. Therefore, the following
phased approach is recommended for the implementation of the Wellhead
Protection Program:
A. Phase I.
(1) The Phase I program will be initiated with a comprehensive
public education program which will focus on the need for groundwater
protection and describe the responsibilities of residents and businesses
to comply with the Wellhead Protection Program. Overlay zoning districts
adopted by ordinance will be established which will include source
prohibitions for new development in each of the protection zones.
Programs for review of land development plans within the wellhead
protection districts will be established including a program for joint
review by the three municipalities.
(2) Contingency and emergency response programs will also
be developed and coordinated with each municipality. The proposed
ordinance to implement the Phase I program is presented in Exhibit
I in the Appendix.
B. Phase II.
(1) The Phase II program will focus on controls on existing
sources of contamination established through operating standards implemented
and enforced through a municipal inspection and permitting program.
This program will require regulated land uses within the Wellhead
Protection District to submit an application for a wellhead protection
operating permit. The permit will represent a legally binding agreement
between the landowner and municipality allowing the landowner to continue
the existing operation if it can be demonstrated that the operation
can comply with specific performance standards and regulations.
(2) Phase II represents the implementation of the Recommended
Wellhead Protection Program. The proposed Phase II ordinance is presented
in Exhibit II in the Appendix.