A Snag In Water Cleanup

The property now is owned by Monsey Products Corp.

During a township supervisors meeting Tuesday at East Pikeland Elementary School, representatives from Ciba-Geigy Corp., the EPA, the state Department of Environmental Resources and Citizens Utilities Co. discussed the proposed cleanup with about 150 township residents.

The contaminated area is close to several privately owned water wells, Supervisor John Doyle said. High levels of chlorinated hydrocarbon chemicals have been found in several wells sampled by the DER, Doyle said, and as many as 25 residences and businesses have been affected by contaminated water.

According to Johnson, Ciba-Geigy is willing to pay for the installation of public water mains and service connections to the homes and businesses. The corporation also has offered to pay each home and business owner $2,500 toward replacing water sources, he said.

Johnson said, however, that Ciba-Geigy was asking each property owner to discontinue using private water wells or carbon-filtration systems.

Many residents of the Kimberton area complained that they had free, clean drinking water before Ciba-Geigy contaminated the area. The $2,500 lump sum would pay only for about four or five years of water bills, residents said. After that, many residents said, they would be faced with average annual water bills between $400 and $600.