June 14 Letter from Mayor Michael Pedersen
Dear Mercersburg,
I want to take a moment to address the ongoing issues surrounding the Borough’s water supply and its impact to our valued residents. To say this has been a challenging week for Mercersburg residents, water authority members, and our borough staff would be the understatement of the year. By now, you are familiar with the ongoing boil advisory in effect for customers of the Mercersburg Water Authority. While updates regarding water main breaks and the subsequent boil advisory have been regularly shared, I want to acknowledge the lack of communication regarding operational progress and the work being done behind the scenes.
Early last Monday, a previous repair band at Carmack Court failed. We believe the burst occurred as a result of a large rock that had been rubbing against the repair band over several years. In a short period of time, a four-foot hole in the pipe opened up, releasing more than 300,000 gallons of water. As a result, the Buck Run water tank level fell below 9’, and in accordance with regulations set by Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), the first boil water advisory was issued. At this point, DEP mandated that a boil water advisory remain in effect until after the tank could reach above 9 feet and the determined system samples could be taken, tested, and results confirmed by DEP to be acceptable.
Before the tank had a chance to fill to 9 feet, extreme pressure resulted in a second leak, caused by mud and silt that was sucked down the main line from the first leak, which clogged a pressure reducing valve (PRV) pit resulting in a spike in the system, blowing out 30 feet of pipe on Johnson’s Lane on Wednesday morning, leading to additional water loss, as well as completely draining the Buck Run tank. Thus, the boil water advisory issued by Water Authority as required by DEP remained. Thursday, the tank had the necessary level of water to pull the first sample from the tank. Friday morning, in accordance with DEP requirements, the Authority pulled samples to submit for testing. This was the first of two required consecutive day tests (4 locations selected). After sample results are determined to be acceptable, with the approval of Pennsylvania’s DEP, the boil water advisory will be lifted. Please note that DEPs recommendations and requirements of boil water advisories are put in place out of an abundance of caution to keep the community safe from drinking harmful contaminants, and not based on actual documented water test results, contrary to rumors online.
The water authority is comprised of a number of experienced members appointed by Borough Council who volunteer their time for the benefit of our community. Ed Twine, the chairperson, has a 30 year history on the authority with a vast knowledge of the complicated nature of the unique system. Jason Frey, another member, is a practicing engineer who brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the table. Joe Creighton is a retired engineer who moved to Mercersburg several years ago. Joe’s background in project management for complex systems is invaluable to the authority’s operations. Jacob Morgan also serves on borough council, with a specialty in cartography and numbers. He often compares our rates with other areas, crunching numbers to figure out how to pay for projects and how to keep our water rates from continuing to raise. I’ve sat through hundreds of hours of meetings, and I’d hate to think of the authority’s future without these devoted gentlemen. It’s unfair to place the burden of this week’s issues or the current water situation on them, and I ask residents to refrain from ungrounded personal insults and attacks.
I also want to acknowledge our hardworking borough office staff as well as public works, for their efforts and time this week. It’s been a challenging for them all as their attention has been diverted as they work odd hours to try to resolve this issue. Our borough manager’s expertise and problem solving skills amidst the challenges has again been exemplified this week.
The truth is, Mercersburg, like many other charming historic towns across America, is dealing with aging infrastructure. The water lines in many areas are 50-75 years old and are brittle and easily damaged or fractured. Since full replacement of the mains is enormously expensive, we are trying to minimize stress on these mains by installing cost effective pressure reducing valves. More stress will be relieved when the Park Avenue Well and Treatment Plant come on line to handle more of the water supplied to within the borough. It would be ideal to replace the miles of pipes underneath our roads every time a road is repaved, but we simply don’t have the money, and without raising taxes significantly, the best thing we can do is address water main breaks as they occur as well as continue to apply for grants and assistance from the State. Unfortunately, in the last few months, the federal government has diminished grant funding throughout the country for communities like ours, and this week’s domino effect was an extreme burden to the entire community.
To our residents and businesses, not only as your Mayor but on behalf of the water authority, we apologize for the challenges this week has brought. We all deserve the confidence in knowing that our water is clean. As the consumer, it may not feel like it, but just know there are folks working behind the scenes to improve systems put in place many moons ago.
We are committed to operate in accordance with the guidance and requirements set by DEP and look forward to getting things back to normal very soon. As always, Chair Ed Twine and the other water authority members invites anyone with questions, concerns and complaints regarding your water to attend our next water authority meeting at Borough Hall on Thursday, June 26 at 7:00pm.
Respectfully,
Mayor Pedersen
A Boil Water Advisory has been lifted for all Mercersburg Water Authority customers – but the Mandatory Water Conservation Notice still remains.
As of Sunday, June 15, 2025, the Boil Water Advisory has been lifted for all Mercersburg Water Authority customers.
UPDATE: The water leaks from 6/9 & 6/11 were repaired, and mandatory distribution system sampling has been completed. As such, the BOIL WATER ADVISORY IS LIFTED, AND WATER IS NO LONGER REQUIRED TO BE BOILED PRIOR TO CONSUMPTION.
However, the Mandatory Water Conservation Notice is still in effect. Please visit the website at www.mercersburg.org for more information. Thank you.
This notice is being sent to you by the Mercersburg Water Authority.
PWS ID#: 7280021
Date distributed: Sunday, June 15, 2025
June 15 Update from Mercersburg Water Authority
A Boil Water Advisory has been lifted for all Mercersburg Water Authority customers – but the Mandatory Water Conservation Notice still remains.
As of Sunday, June 15, 2025, the Boil Water Advisory has been lifted for all Mercersburg Water Authority customers.
UPDATE: The water leaks from 6/9 & 6/11 were repaired, and mandatory distribution system sampling has been completed. As such, the BOIL WATER ADVISORY IS LIFTED, AND WATER IS NO LONGER REQUIRED TO BE BOILED PRIOR TO CONSUMPTION.
However, the Mandatory Water Conservation Notice is still in effect. Please visit the website at www.mercersburg.org for more information. Thank you.
This notice is being sent to you by the Mercersburg Water Authority.
PWS ID#: 7280021
Date distributed: Sunday, June 15, 2025