Pennsylvania American Water Invests $2.6 Million for Manganese Reducti...

East Stroudsburg, PA (November 25, 2024)-Pennsylvania American Water today announced an investment of $2.6 million in a vital construction project to reduce manganese levels in a well serving the Blue Mountain Lakes community. Construction of a new treatment facility is scheduled to start in early December and is expected to be operational in early 2025.

In May 2024, the company informed customers about elevated manganese levels in Well 3, which supplies the Blue Mountain Lake water system.

"Manganese is one of Earth's most abundant metals and an essential nutrient, but exposure to high levels can pose a potential risk, said Brandy Braun, Director of Water Quality and Environmental Compliance at Pennsylvania American Water. "We are committed to protecting the health of our customers and prioritized this project after learning about the elevated manganese levels. We are pleased to announce that the construction of a new treatment facility will start early next month. In the meantime, we will continue providing customers an alternate water supply."

The new treatment building is being constructed next to the existing Well 3 facilities on the Pennsylvania American Water property adjacent to Blue Mountain Crossing. The new treatment equipment, which includes a Clearwell to hold the treated water and a booster pump station, will reduce manganese levels during the treatment process.

The elevated manganese levels detected in May 2024 prompted a drinking water advisory for infants six months and younger, pursuant to state and federal drinking water guidelines. Sample results for Blue Mountain Lake Well 3 indicated a total manganese level of 0.5 mg/L, exceeding the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) lifetime health advisory level of 0.3 mg/L.

"Our engineering team immediately began developing a solution to lower the manganese levels in Well 3 once we received the test results," said Pennsylvania American Water Vice President of Engineering Tony Nokovich. "We collaborated closely with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PA DEP) to design an effective treatment system, and PA DEP assisted us in expediting the permitting process. We are pleased to announce this project and focused on getting it completed."

During construction, Pennsylvania American Water will continue to provide an alternate water supply via a tanker located at 3190 Blue Mountain Lake Drive, East Stroudsburg (the mailbox area of the HOA). Customers are advised to bring their containers when collecting water from the tanker.

About American Water
American Water (NYSE: AWK) is the largest regulated water and wastewater utility company in the United States. With a history dating back to 1886, We Keep Life Flowing® by providing safe, clean, reliable and affordable drinking water and wastewater services to more than 14 million people with regulated operations in 14 states and on 18 military installations. American Water's 6,500 talented professionals leverage their significant expertise and the company's national size and scale to achieve excellent outcomes for the benefit of customers, employees, investors and other stakeholders.

For more information, visit amwater.com and join American Water on LinkedIn, Facebook, X and Instagram.

About Pennsylvania American Water

Pennsylvania American Water, a subsidiary of American Water, is the largest regulated water utility in the state, providing high-quality and reliable water and wastewater services to approximately 2.3 million people.