Zion Grove water plant on docket for Harrisburg public hearing next week

HARRISBURG – Regulators in Harrisburg will hear public comments on a proposed spring water plant in the Ringtown Valley next Thursday.

The Susquehanna River Basin Commission is holding a public hearing on April 23 at 5pm at the commission’s headquarters at 4423 North Front Street in Harrisburg. You can also call in at 1-877-304-9269 and enter guest passcode 2619070#.

The Susquehanna River Basin Commission has final say on water use affecting the Susquehanna River watershed, including in the Catawissa Creek and Mahanoy Creek watersheds in our area.

Fifteen projects are on the docket, including the request by Wilkes-Barre Township-based KH Spring Waters for a proposed plant in Zion Grove.

They are seeking approval to consume up to 75,000 gallons of water per day from the local aquifer, according to the application filed on August 1.

Water will be disinfected and held in a 25,000 gallon storage tank for tanker trucks to hook to and receive water.

The water, ultimately, will be trucked to bottling plants.

Raymond Hassey, of Hassey Legal Services, Wilkes-Barre, is listed as the company president.

The planned effort has been a hot topic in North Union Township this year. A standing room-only crowd heard from a company representative at the February 5 township supervisors meeting.

There, neighbors expressed concerns over impacts to their wells and the aquifer. One man said the company should pay landowners in the area for extracting the water.

The hearing is the only opportunity for verbal public comment on the project, which will last until 8pm or when testimony concludes, whichever comes first. Pre-registration is encouraged by contacting Jason E. Oyler, General Counsel and Secretary to the Commission, at joyler@srbc.gov or (717) 238-0423, ext. 1312.

Written comments may be submitted to Mr. Oyler via mail or fax: Susquehanna River Basin Commission, 4423 N. Front Street, Harrisburg, PA 17110, Fax: 717-238-2436. The deadline for written comments is Monday, May 4.

Of note, a much higher profile project is also on the docket: a water use request related to the restart of the Three Mile Island nuclear power station.

The article Zion Grove water plant on docket for Harrisburg public hearing next week first appeared on The Shenandoah Sentinel.