Springdale Township could face state fines for not properly testing water, failing to document

Springdale Township officials worry they could be facing hefty fines for failing to properly test and report their water quality to the state Department of Environmental Protection.

Commissioners President Tony Rozzano said Thursday that the DEP will be fining the township for not submitting the documentation from 2011-17.

“We’re in compliance in 2018, we weren’t before,” Rozzano said, who joined the board last year. “They’re giving us a realistic deadline, and we’re trying to work out a deal.”

DEP spokeswoman Lauren Fraley said Friday the DEP couldn’t comment on the case because it’s currently in litigation.

The township has appealed the DEP’s administrative order that claims officials have violated multiple safe drinking water laws by failing to, among other things, properly test the water for contaminants such as copper and lead.

The order, sent to township officials Oct. 16, outlines multiple violations and said the township faces a penalty of up to $5,000 per day for each violation.

The DEP has set specific time frames for the township to remedy the violations, ranging from 10 days to three months.

The administrative order was issued after the township failed to respond to a request for corrective action following a March 29 inspection of the system.

Rozzano, Commissioner Tim Sweet and solicitor Craig Alexander met recently with DEP officials.

“There will be some fines,” Alexander said. “Hopefully, the DEP will recognize the effort we’re putting into it now.”

Fraley confirmed the DEP did meet with township officials, but couldn’t comment further.

Sweet said the township “is about 95 percent in compliance.”

He said the DEP has asked the township office where the water went in the past five years and to supply supporting paperwork.

A hearing for the appeal hadn’t been set as of Friday afternoon.

Emily Balser is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Emily at 724-226-4680, emilybalser@tribweb.com or via Twitter @emilybalser. George Guido is a freelance writer.