General Water System Information
The Roulette Township Water Authority provides clean, safe, potable water, to an average of approximately 335 households and businesses on a daily basis and serves an average of around 50,000 gallons of water per day to those customers. In 2013, Roulette Township wells provided 18,524,924Gallons of water to its customers. Yes, that’s right. Over 18 MILLION gallons!
Roulette’s water currently comes from two sources, both located on Lanninger Creek Road. Both are Ground Water Wells that pump water from deep in the ground to the Distribution System, and finally to your homes. Our main water source is known as Well #4 and is located on the Snyder Farm. The second source is known as Well #7 and is located at the very end of Lanninger Creek at our Storage Tank location. Our Storage Tank can hold 213,000 gallons of water.
Currently, Well #7 is only used in emergency back-up or drought conditions. All of the Township supplied water comes from Well #4.
How the system works
Our system automatically pumps water based on the water level in our Storage Tank. When the tank level meets a set low level, a signal is sent to our pump controllers to start pumping. When the Tank Level meets an upper set level, a signal is sent to shut the pumps off.
Chlorination and Corrosion Control also occur as the main pump(s) are operating, via small diaphragm injection pumps set to deliver appropriate amounts of treatment chemicals to the system.
Chemicals?!! What chemicals?!
Roulette is required to by the EPA and PA DEP, to use two chemicals in its water treatment process. Sodium Hypochlorite (Chlorine) and a product called AquaMag. Chlorine is used for disinfection purposes to insure that no harmful bacteria is present in the system. The AquaMag is utilized to help lessen the corrosive effects of water on metal pipes and plumbing, and settle out small particulates in the water. Neither is harmful if used properly and the system is maintained properly. We keep our Free Chlorine levels close to 1.00 ppm (parts per million) and AquaMag levels at around 0.50 ppm.
Fluoridation: Roulette does not fluoridate the water. Those concerned with Dental Health may want to use Fluoride Toothpastes or Rinses. Pennsylvania does not require fluoridation and in fact has a lower ppm limit on its use than most of the U.S. There are trace amounts of Fluoride in our water that occur naturally within our wells.
Potable Water Safety
Roulette’s water is tested daily for pH and Chlorine content, and monthly for bacterial content. Our water is also tested, based on EPA and PA DEP requirements for various potential contaminants throughout the year. RouletteTownship must adhere to a Testing Schedule developed by PA DEP. Some tests are monthly, some yearly, some every 3 years, some every 6 years, and some every 9 years. It’s a very long list of stuff! Roulette’s water has NEVER exceeded any regulated contaminant levels (or ever came close for that matter).
pH and Chlorine testing is done daily by Township personnel. All other testing is performed by a Laboratory certified by PA DEP and paid for by the Township.
Results for all of this testing, as well as the Test Schedule, are available to the public at any time via http://www.drinkingwater.state.pa.us/dwrs/HTM/SelectionCriteria.html Roulette Township's Potable Water System (PWS) ID is 6530007
Consumer Confidence Reports
Each year a required report called a Consumer Confidence Report, or CCR, is made available to all customers of the water system and distributed by various means to all water customers by the end of June each year. This report contains information concerning the quality of our drinking water and the levels of contaminants that may be in it. The U.S. EPA and PA DEP have set safe limits on various man-made chemicals, naturally occurring chemicals and minerals, and radiological contaminants.
The CCR outlines the results of our testing for these various contaminants and shows whether any of those contaminants are above EPA and PADEP limits on those contaminants.
Another aspect of Potable Water Safety - Physical Connections and Piping
There are other ways our water can become contaminated. One of them in particular is called “Backflow.” Backflow is the ability of a contaminant to enter the main Water Distribution System from a home, business, fire hydrant, etc., by allowing the water or contaminant from the home or business back into the Distribution System.
Backflow Prevention Devices prevent this possibility from happening. They are a special valve that allows water to travel in only one direction.
RouletteTownship, to the best of our current knowledge, has Backflow Prevention Devices on all connections within the system. These Backflow Prevention Devices are either built into Meter Pits for in-ground meter installations, or installed directly after the meter in “in home” installations.
Backflow Prevention Devices are required by the EPA and PA DEP on ALL connections.
The Township would appreciate it, if you have an “in home” meter installation, that you check to be sure you have a backflow prevention device installed. If you don’t, please contact the Township and let us know. If you’re not sure you have one or not, Township personnel would be happy to come to your home or business and check for you. Just contact the Township Secretary at 544-7549 to set up an appointment.