Pennsylvania American Water (PAW) is legally required to restore Roaring Brook dam after sediment polluted the Lackawanna River.
In February, the water company caused murky sediment to pollute the Dunmore No.7 dam during a $17 million dollar renovation project.
PAW violated the state’s Clean Streams Law and the state’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) ordered the company to remove the sediment and study its lasting effects on Roaring Brook and the Lackawanna River on June 20.
The DEP ordered PAW to complete the following:
- Implement their plan of action to clean the sediment, approved by DEP on April 18, 2024
- Install a staff gauge at the Cedar Avenue location to monitor sediment accumulation; the gauge must be inspected every two weeks and any accumulated sediment must be removed
- Submit sediment removal reports to the DEP and reevaluate Roaring Brook for additional sediment removal
- Continue sediment removal activities until 12 months after the Dunmore No. 7 dam
- project is completed
- Submit a plan of study on the cause and effects to Roaring Brook and the Lackawanna River
PAW must also start a ‘Community Environmental Project,’ which will include handicap access and educational signage on the local ecosystem. The project is expected to cost over $300,000, which covers what a civil penalty would cost PAW, according to the DEP.
The agreement gives PAW 120 days to apply for the needed permits to complete the project and 45 days for construction to start after receiving the permits.