A PLAN FOR UTILITIES
Overview
Public sewer and water systems in Charlestown Township have a significant impact on land use, especially in the Devault area. The presence of these public utilities drives land development and affects development type and intensity. Due to its rural character and location away from major regional utilities, Charlestown still relies primarily on on-lot sewer and water systems, which support lower intensity development.
“A Plan for Utilities” discusses existing public sewer, water, and energy and communication systems in Charlestown Township, offers recommendations for future utilities systems, and presents a plan for the reliable supply of water. It relates to Section 301.(a)(4) of the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code (MPC) which requires that the Comprehensive Plan provide:
“A plan for…utilities, which may include…water supply and distribution, sewerage and waste treatment, solid waste management, storm drainage, and flood plain management, utility corridors and associated facilities, and other similar facilities of uses.”
Section 301.(b) of the MPC, as amended, stipulates that the Comprehensive Plan:
“…shall include a plan for the reliable
supply of water, considering current and future water resources availability,
uses and limitations, including provisions adequate to protect water supply
sources. Any such plan shall be
generally consistent with the State Water Plan and any applicable water
resources plan adopted by a river basin commission. It shall also contain a statement recognizing that:
(1)
Lawful
activities such as extraction of minerals may impact water supply sources and
such activities are governed by statutes regulating mineral extraction that
specify replacement and restoration of water supplies affected by such
activities.
(2) Commercial agriculture production may impact water supply
sources.”
In general, this Plan advocates the maintenance of the Township’s existing sewer and water systems and very limited expansion of those systems. Future development should take place within areas that have existing or planned public sewer and water facilities. Future efforts should focus on upgrading the existing system to keep pace with usage.
Sewer
Utilities
Plans for the maintenance and development of Charlestown’s sewer system are laid out in the Township’s Act 537 Sewage Facilities Plan. The Act 537 Plan, mandated by state law, is intended to ensure a properly functioning sewage treatment and disposal system.
In order to achieve an appropriate level of service, the Township must act in conjunction with the various sewer companies that operate these systems. Charlestown Township’s public sewer system is administered by the Valley Forge Sewer Authority (VFSA) and the Phoenixville Sewer Company. There are two existing and one potential VFSA service areas, as well as one existing Phoenixville Sewer Company Service Area (Map 11).
The first VFSA service area covers the Township’s northern section, extending from Charlestown Hunt to Township Line Road. The Charlestown Hunt system is tied in to the Whitehorse Road Pump Station in Schuylkill Township. A second system, in the Tyrone Farms area ties into the Charlestown Road Pump Station. Sewer lines along Pine Drive extend into East Pikeland Township, hooking in to the Kimble Road Pump Station.
The second VFSA service area is located along Charlestown’s southeastern border. Existing sewer lines serve Charlestown Oaks and Devault. The Charlestown Oaks system extends into East Whiteland Township. Lines serving the Devault area also extend into East Whiteland and tie into the Lee Boulevard Pump Station.
A potential VFSA service area is located to the west, near Conestoga Road. This site is zoned PRD-2, which requires public sewer service.
The Township’s northern corner lies within a Phoenixville Sewer Company service area. This area includes the Valley Forge Christian College and Charlestown Township Park.
Most developed properties within the Township’s interior are served by on-lot sewer systems (septic tanks). In many cases, it is not feasible to provide public sewer service to such properties due to factors such as topography and distance from existing trunk lines.
Water
Utilities
Charlestown Township’s water supply and distribution system is administered by the Philadelphia Suburban Water Company (PSW). Two service areas cover portions of Charlestown. The first, located in the north, encompasses Charlestown Hunt, Charlestown Township Park, the Valley Forge Christian College, and surrounding areas. The second, located to the southeast, covers Charlestown Oaks, Devault, the Whitehorse Road subdivision, and surrounding areas (Map 12).
The Township’s public water supply is primarily drawn from the Pickering Reservoir, located in on the Pickering Creek in Schuylkill Township. The reservoir has a storage capacity of 375 million gallons. Water is treated at the new, state-of-the-art Pickering East Treatment Plant and at the Pickering West Treatment Plant, both also located in Schuylkill Township. Water is also
Map 11. Sewer
Map 12.
Water
drawn from PSW-owned wells located in the vicinity of Charlestown. A PSW storage facility, located near Yellow Springs Road and the Pennsylvania Turnpike, is capable of supplying water during peak demand periods and in times of emergency.
Many of the developed properties in the Township’s interior rely on private wells for their water supply.
A
Plan for the Reliable Supply of Water[1]
The sources from which PSW draws Charlestown Township’s water supply lie within the Delaware River Basin. Thus, surface water and groundwater management activities are guided by the Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC). Additional guidance is provided by the State of Pennsylvania as set forth in the State Water Plan. The Chester County Water Resources Authority is also conducting research that will lead to the production of a countywide Water Resources Management Plan that will provide a framework for the sustainable use and preservation of the County’s water resources.
The party that is primarily responsible for water supply is the Philadelphia Suburban Water Company. PSW is perhaps the largest water utility in the region serving approximately 320,000 customer accounts (1.2 million people) throughout Chester, Berks, Delaware, Montgomery, and Bucks Counties. PSW’s nine water treatment plants (four in Chester County, two in Delaware County, one in Montgomery County, and two in Bucks County) are capable of providing 176 million gallons of water to its customers each day. Average daily use is approximately 115 million gallons. The plants draw water from the Pickering, Brandywine, Perkiomen, Neshaminy, Crum, Ridley, and Chester Creeks; the Schuylkill and Delaware Rivers; and the Upper Merion Quarry. The Pickering and Brandywine Creeks are the main sources of water for Chester County. Charlestown Township relies on the Pickering Creek and its tributaries for its water supply.
Sixty-six wells are the source of approximately 16% of PSW’s total water supply. PSW also maintains several storage tanks, which can hold up to a total of 164 million gallons. This supply is used during peak demand periods. The company’s seven reservoirs hold 10 billion gallons of water. They include the Pickering Creek, Marsh Creek, and Airport Road Reservoirs in Chester County; the Springton Reservoir in Delaware County; the Green Lane and Upper Merion Reservoirs in Montgomery County; and the Ironworks Reservoir in Bucks County.
PSW is constantly moving to protect and conserve the region’s water supply. Continued maintenance and upgrades to the treatment, storage and distribution systems are intended to
prevent leakage and increase the efficiency of water usage. Monitoring of source waters helps to ensure water quality. Public awareness of the issues surrounding water resources is another important component to water protection. PSW conducts community outreach programs to educate consumers about ways in which they can conserve water and prevent water pollution.
In addition to the efforts of PSW, the Pennsylvania State Water Plan and the Delaware River Basin Commission Water Code outline goals and objectives for water quality and water supply management.
Two major goals of the State Water Plan pertain to Water Supply and Environmental Quality. They read as follows:
Water Supply
Goal: Water supplies of adequate quantity and quality to meet both short- and long-term needs.
Objectives: (selected
items)
Stress conservation measures to help ensure the future availability of water resources.
Protect public drinking water supplies from degradation of quality and reduction in yield.
Environmental Quality
Goal: Management of water and related land resources to abate and prevent pollution, protect, and preserve environmental values, and enhance and maintain ecosystems.
Objectives: (selected items)
Protect wetlands, wild areas, natural areas and other resources, which may be fragile, rare or endangered.
Protect the character of streams having wild and scenic values, and prevent degradation of streams.
Encourage land and water resources management, which is compatible with the protection of prime farmlands.
Promote floodplain management which maintains the floodplain ecosystem, protects natural resource values and provides community open space opportunities.
Encourage environmentally
sensitive land and water planning by all levels of government such that the
natural hydrologic character of watersheds is respected.
The DRBC’s Water Code, adopted in 1996, describes the organization’s policies, guidelines and standards for water resources management. Among other items, the document encourages the preservation of underground waters (section 2.20), the protection of recharge areas (section 2.20.5), the protection of wetlands (section 2.350), the maintenance of water quality for wildlife and aquatic life (section 2.200.1), and the provision of water related sports and recreation (section 2.250.1).
Energy
& Communication Systems
Map 13 depicts the location of energy and communication infrastructure within Charlestown Township. It includes electric power lines, an interstate energy pipeline, gas and oil lines, two electric substations, three radio/microwave/cellular towers, and an AT&T facility.
In addition to the features shown on Map 13, internet and digital cable service are of high importance and are likely to remain so in the future. DSL (digital subscriber line) service, which is provided by the telephone company, is available in limited areas of the Township. High speed cable modem service, currently operated by Comcast Corporation, may be available in the near future. However, although all zip codes within Charlestown (19355, 19432 and 19460) are in the Comcast Cable internet service area, it remains to be seen which specific areas will be eligible for this service.
Recommendations
for Future Utility Systems
Sewer
· Direct
future land development to existing public sewer service areas.
Future high and medium intensity development should be directed to areas where public sewer infrastructure already exists. This would minimize the need, and the cost, to extend infrastructure beyond the existing service areas, and would prevent a sprawling development pattern.
·
Maintain and upgrade existing sewer system to keep
pace with future development.
Sewage treatment and disposal systems should be maintained and upgraded when necessary in order to ensure that capacity is adequate to accommodate increased use.
·
In cases where public sewer service is not feasible,
require an environmentally sensitive alternative sewage disposal and treatment
system.
In cases where it is not feasible to tie into the existing sewer system, an alternative sewage treatment and disposal system is required. This system must be responsive to the environmental and ecological sensitivities of the surrounding area.
Map 13
Water
Charlestown Township recognizes the fact that water is a fragile resource and that steps must be taken to ensure its protection and to maintain a properly functioning hydrological cycle. This Comprehensive Plan outlines a number of recommendations aimed at protecting water quality and the water supply, which are generally consistent with the goals, objectives and policies of the State and the DRBC as outlined above.
This Comprehensive Plan also recognizes that lawful activities such as extraction of minerals may impact water supply sources and such activities are governed by State and Federal statutes regulating mineral extraction that specify replacement and restoration of water supplies affected by such activities. In addition, commercial agriculture production may impact water supply sources.
Specific recommendations for water utilities are as follows:
·
Direct future high and moderate intensity land development
to existing public water service areas.
Future high and medium intensity development should be directed to areas where public water infrastructure already exists. This would minimize the need, and the cost, to extend infrastructure beyond the existing service areas, and would prevent a sprawling development pattern.
·
Prohibit or limit development on land adjacent to
streams, wetlands, and other water resources.
Development on land adjacent to water resources, including wetlands, should be prohibited or strictly controlled. These lands must be retained in a natural state to ensure properly functioning hydrological processes and to protect water quality.
· Require
land development tools designed to reduce stormwater runoff.
Soil erosion, sedimentation, and pollution that result from excessive stormwater runoff are a threat to water quality. Innovative stormwater management techniques, including various Best Management Practices (BMPs), should be required as a water resource protection measure.
· Balance
water withdrawal and recharge in order to protect finite water supplies
Balancing water withdrawal and recharge is critical in areas that are not served by public water utilities. These areas must rely on local groundwater supplies which are finite. Thus, it is critical that the source waters are replenished through groundwater recharge. On-site septic should therefore be used wherever there is on-site water. This will allow recharge on-site, rather than transporting wastewater off site.
· Establish a program for the testing of private wells to ensure a safe water supply for those not on the public water system.
Private water supplies should be regularly tested for contamination. Groundwater must be monitored in order to detect contaminants that could threaten on-lot water systems.
Energy &
Communication Systems
·
Lobby
for expanded DSL and cable modem internet service.
Expanded
internet service throughout the Township could offer residents more flexibility
not only in terms of information exchange and commerce, but also in terms of
working arrangements. The ability
to connect to the office from a remote location could mean more opportunity to
work from home. This may be
desirable from a personal, quality of life perspective (i.e., more time spent
at home with family) and from a planning perspective (i.e., less vehicular
trips on the Township’s roadways).