HARRISBURG, Pa. — Capital Region Water announced it will temporarily pump and treat blended water from its backup drinking water source, the Susquehanna River, for about two weeks.
As part of a short-term test run to determine the reliability of its backup system, Capital Region Water will pump, treat, and blend water from the Susquehanna and blend it with its primary source of water, the DeHart Reservoir, the company said in a press release.
The test allows Capital Region Water to ensure both sources are available and can be utilized when needed, the company said.
During the test run, about 25 of the water supply will come from the Susquehanna, with the remaining water coming from the DeHart Reservoir, Capital Region Water said.
“Protecting public health by providing safe, reliable drinking water is our top priority,” Capital Region Water CEO Charlotte Katzenmoyer said. “All state and federal drinking water standards will be met during this temporary exercise.
"Customers with a sensitive palate may notice a slightly different taste, but there will be no changes to the quality of water coming through your tap.”
At the conclusion of the test run, which begins today and will last until approximately Nov. 4, Capital Region Water will transition the full supply back to the DeHart Reservoir, the company said.
Capital Region Water also announced it has recently completed a required Lead and Copper Rule sampling plan by testing 45 high-risk, single-family homes throughout the service area.
All sample results came back “non-detect” for lead and well under the 1.3 parts per million maximum contaminant level for copper, the company said.
The average result for copper was 0.05 parts per million with no samples exceeding 0.2 parts per million.
State and federal regulations require the 90th percentile lead level to be less than 15 parts per billion, meaning detected lead must not exceed that level in at least 90 percent of homes sampled.
Capital Region Water’s result of 0 parts per billion is "a great result in our commitment to clean, safe drinking water," the company said.
Capital Region Water said it will test for lead and copper again in 2025.
Details about the source of your drinking water and how it compares to federal and state regulatory standards can be found in the Water Quality Report on Capital Region Water’s website.
