Cornwall's search for a new water source continues, new water authority may emerge

Water security has been a top issue for the Cornwall Borough council and community for the last several months after the City of Lebanon Authority, the Borough’s singular water supplier, announced that it would raise their rates by 10% in 2023.

COLA previously reduced the borough’s allotment of water from 500,000 gallons of water a day to 250,000 gallons a day. Because they were already using around 270,000 gallons a day on average, their administrator was able to work with COLA to bump that number up to 325,000 gallons a day, according to board president Bruce Harris.

The borough’s concern now is to have their own water sources and become less dependent on COLA, as rapid development across the county will likely stretch water resources even further.

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During Monday's meeting, resident Jo Roussey shared her concern that the borough could find themselves in a situation similar to California or Nevada where residents could have to drastically cut back on their water usage if Lebanon has a couple of dry years and COLA must reduce gallons again.

“If we have our own water, that could even be a back up if that ever happens,” she said. “Water is the new oil. You might as well learn that right now.”

One popular idea the board has previously discussed is acquiring Miners Lake, a former iron ore mine that has since flooded and is now the largest body of water in Lebanon County.

The borough has been in talks with Elizabethtown, who currently owns the open pit, about the possibility of purchasing the land or rights to the water.

The pit has 6.25 billion gallons of water in it and has a refresh rate of about a half million gallons day.

Harris later told the Lebanon Daily News that there have been no major developments concerning Miners Lake, but the borough received a letter from Elizabethtown outlining some things they would like them to do. The borough is also waiting on results from tests on that water to determine how much treatment would be needed for safe use.

If the borough does get the rights to the lake, they would likely be able to sell the water to other municipalities and authorities, including COLA.

Looking for other avenues, the council passed a resolution to hire a hydrogeologist for $7,800, who will conduct a study to determine where it might be best to build test wells, what could come from them, and the effect that the wells could have on local water resources.

Several exploratory wells, placed strategically throughout the borough, could have the potential to yield enough water to supply the borough.

Two dams, which the borough still has water rights to, were also briefly discussed as possible solution. Those dams were previously used as a water source before the borough's water authority was dissolved about six years ago.

The board also agreed during the meeting that it will allow the water and sewer committee to hold public meetings to discuss the reestablishment of a water authority as well as other possible projects in their search of water sources.

How many meetings, or when they will be held, will not be determined until the hydrogeologist's report comes in.

Those meetings will focus on if a water authority would be advantageous when it comes to receiving grants or loans to build the infrastructure they need.

Regardless of what solution the borough finds, they will have to build a water treatment plant, according to Harris.

A treatment plant would take about an acre of land and cost several million dollars to build.

The board also voted to hire Reynolds Ferrante, who has been working gratis as a grant writer for many of the borough's water related projects for the last several months.

Bruce Conrad, who is being tutored by Ferrante in grant writing, said that they believe they’ll be able to acquire funding for the test wells.

“He’s very innovative, in what he tries to get done,” Conrad said.

More from Cornwall

During the meeting the council approved immediate emergency repairs to a collapsed sewer line in Tice Lane Field for the amount of $8,600. According to borough manager Cody Rhoads, Sunoco has agreed to pay up to $10,000 for the repairs.

The council also approved to appropriate $250,000 from their rainy day fund to apply for a 50/50 match amount in hopes to acquire a DCNR grant that would allow them to make the first steps in their recreation master plan.

The funds taken from the borough would act as a 0% interest loan to the recreation department, where further grant funding will be used to pay back the $250,000 over the next year.

If the DCNR grant doesn't come through, the borough money will not be spent.

The funding will be used for phase one of the Snitz Creek Park project, which largely includes walking paths and trails, pickleball courts and a restroom building.

Note: A previous version of this story incorrectly stated how much the hydrogeologist was hired for

Daniel Larlham Jr. is a reporter for the Lebanon Daily News. Reach him at DLarlham@LDNews.com or on Twitter @djlarlham

This article originally appeared on Lebanon Daily News: Cornwall borough continues to search for a new water source