(1/26) The long-term fix to cure Emmitsburg's town brown water blight could cost as much as, or more than, $1,755,000, it was revealed at a special town Board of Commissioners' meeting January 22.

Town Manager Cathy Willets stated, at the lightly attended meeting, that sections of old, pre-1952 cast iron pipes under portions of North Seton Avenue, Waynesboro Pike, and DePaul Street, could cost as much as $300,00 per 1,000 linear feet of pipe to replace (all related expenses inclusive such as materials, excavations, labor).

Specifically, pipe replacements would take place on: North Seton Avenue from North Avenue to 17349 North Seton; Waynesboro Pike from Tract Road to 9322 Waynesboro Pike; and DePaul Street from North Seton Avenue to the dead-end.

Willets said, given the pace of pursuing and applying for grant money, that the project could take up to two years to fully implement the pipe replacements.

However, in the interim, town staff and the commissioners will seek to find short-term fixes that can be more reasonably implemented to ease the brown water problem.

This could include the slow introduction of phosphate-based products which will ultimately create a seal over the interiors of the corroding iron pipes and trap the corroding metal before pieces can flake off and enter the drinking water supply. These flakes and scales (also called tuberculation scales) break-off inside of the decrepit pipes, releasing iron and manganese into the water which leads to the brown colorization, according to Dan Fissel, Emmitsburg water and sewer superintendent.

Willis cautioned, however, that while the tuberculation in the three areas identified are a problem, they might not be the “end all, be all answer. There could be a lot of (other) things contributing to it (the overall brown water issue).” The town also increased the water's pH (a low pH can be acidic and thus potentially corrosive).

The state Division of Utilities and Solid Waste Management (DUSWM) has samples and is analyzing them in their division's laboratory, while the state Department of the Environment has offered to also conduct sampling. Willets said, “Once we have the (DUSWM) test results we hope to better understand what might be the primary cause... and what follow-up actions may be appropriate.”

Also approved by the board at the meeting is the creation of a citizens' committee to conduct research and provide additional support where needed to serve as “boots on the ground” in determining the full local impact of the contamination.

Beginning in October, numerous Emmitsburg drinking water customers have been expressing their concerns over the brown colorization of their tap water.

Emmitsburg Mayor Donald Briggs previously stated samples were taken and analyzed. Catoctin Labs, he reported, tested water samples for lead and copper, the results of which were well below state action levels, or otherwise negligible. The mayor also stated pH of the tap water was also within state guidelines. Briggs also reported that five water samples were analyzed for bacteriological content, which showed “no presence of coliform or E. coli.”

Town Commissioner Frank Davis called the confluence of adverse events as “the Perfect Storm.” Davis stated, “We can't get it to clean up, it’s so sporadic (not occurring on a town-wide basis). We've never had anything like this before,” adding that town staff are taking complaints and then plotting them on a map to determine the impact areas in the hope of determining the contributing source or sources.

The town website also previously stated, “Although the water may not be visually appealing, it is safe to drink and continues to meet all federal and state drinking water standards. There is no health hazard associated with the discolored water.”

More than 20 residents attended the commissioners' January 6 meeting, either to comment on the drinking water issue or simply to witness the outcome of the discussions. Several of them informed the board of actual property or financial burdens they allegedly sustained as a result of the contaminated drinking water.

Although the water has been declared “safe to drink,” the claim of which a number of residents remained dubious, residents stated they have suffered the consequences of rust in their water which has stained clothing (including expensive service uniforms), led to buying bottled water, and purchasing expensive filtration units, or increasing the numbers of filters they expend trying to eliminate the pollutants.