Gov. Wolf’s Restore Pennsylvania Can Help Clean Up Contaminated Drinking Water

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 21, 2019
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Gov. Wolf’s Restore Pennsylvania Can Help Clean Up Contaminated Drinking Water

Horsham, PA — Governor Tom Wolf today joined local and state officials on a tour of a Horsham Water and Sewer Authority well equipped with a Granular Activated Carbon (GAC) filter to see what the township is doing to mitigate Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) contaminants in its water system and how his Restore Pennsylvania plan can help communities across the commonwealth.

“Restore Pennsylvania will provide funding needed to remediate PFAS on a statewide basis, so families living in places like Horsham have peace of mind when they fill a glass with tap water or when a child takes a sip from a drinking fountain,” Gov. Wolf said. “And that’s why we are working together to pass Restore Pennsylvania.”

Restore Pennsylvania, funded by the monetization of a commonsense severance tax, will invest $4.5 billion over the next four years in significant high-impact projects throughout the commonwealth to help catapult Pennsylvania ahead of every state in the country in terms of technology, development, and infrastructure.

Restore Pennsylvania will expand efforts to remove PFAS and other contaminants from communities across the commonwealth where these chemicals have also been discovered, threatening the safety of residents’ drinking water. The cleanup costs associated with addressing these chemicals can be significant with few funding options available at the state level.

Horsham Township did receive Pennvest funding to help purchase the GAC filters now in place to filter out PFAS on 11 wells in the township.

Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances – PFAS – are man-made chemicals resistant to heat, water and oil, and persist in the environment and the human body. PFAS are not found naturally in the environment. They have been used to make cookware, carpets, clothing, fabrics for furniture, paper packaging for food, and other materials that are resistant to water, grease, or stains. They are also used in firefighting foams and in a number of industrial processes.

In September 2018, Governor Wolf announced the establishment of a multi-agency PFAS Action Team and other executive actions to address growing national concerns surrounding PFAS. The PFAS Action Team places Pennsylvania at the forefront of states taking proactive action to address PFAS and other water contaminants.

“Republican or Democrat, senator or representative, every elected official understands that clean drinking water is a critical issue,” Gov. Wolf said. “We all want Pennsylvanians to live the happiest, healthiest lives possible.”

Learn more about how Restore Pennsylvania can help your community protect drinking water, improve infrastructure, remove blight and increase access to broadband.

NOTE: Video, audio, and photos from both events will be available for download in an email from the Pennsylvania Internet News Service (PINS). To register for PINS emails contact [email protected]

MEDIA CONTACT: J.J. Abbott, 717.783.1116

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