Benshoff Hill drinking water…

As a young child, teen, young engineer, more experienced engineer and even now, I never knew of an instance where residents of the Benshoff Hill/Valley View and Linkville Road sections of central and southern Middle Taylor Township had individual wells on their lots to serve as the primary drinking water source supply to their homes. I had always wondered about that. I and others did know growing up however that there was a public water line that came out of Johnstown and served some selective areas and residences along Benshoff Hill Road. In addition, there was reliance by our families and the generations before mine on a “ROGUE” community water system with a small diameter pipe distribution system that served the homes in the Benshoff Hill/Valley View and Linkville Road sections and a bit beyond into other parts of central and southern Middle Taylor Township. I am not certain who built, owned, or maintained this “rogue” community water system, whether it was the township itself or some other entity, or whether it just evolved over time as residential dwelling units continued to be built on the “hill”. However, one thing is certain - it was there. It existed.

In the Benshoff Hill/Valley View section of south Middle Taylor Township, there was an artesian well site, where groundwater purged to the surface continuously. This site/lot was and still is situated just southwest of the intersection of now Earl Street and Blackberry Street on County Parcel 40-006.-220.000 at geographic coordinates 40.3519, -78.9228. The surface elevation at this pumphouse site was Elev. 1558 which is about 330 feet above the elevation of the Hinckston Run stream at the end of Linkville Road near the Riders (Rosedale) Disposal area (Elev. 1227 based on the USGS National Map). This vertical distance seems like a lot, but in terms of drilled well depth it is not. Water from this site, which was contained within a pumphouse building structure, ran continuously from it. We used to catch the bus for junior and senior high school at the intersection of now Benshoff Hill Road and Earl Street which is at a big left (northwest) turn along Benshoff Hill Road (locally known as Bantley’s corner) and which was approximately 650 feet horizontally below (south) of this pumphouse lot. Daily there was a continuous flow of water from the pumphouse site/lot then down along an open channel on the west side of now Earl Street to an inlet box structure which then carried the flow across Benshoff Hill Road into the natural (and very steep) ravine that led to the Prosser Hollow stream valley. I am certain that water from this old pumphouse site/lot still runs down along Earl Street to Benshoff Hill Road - only now it is hidden in below ground storm drainage pipe along/under the shoulder of the road.

Water from this pumphouse site/lot was also periodically pumped. When I was young, you could occasionally hear pumps running and then cycle on and off. The pumps lifted water to two old wooden water storage tanks situated on the top of the hill to the northeast. We used to call this area simply “the Tanks”. There were two old wooden water storage tanks at this location, one bigger and one smaller. The tanks were old, made with curved wood planks, and encircled with large diameter wire and clamp binding tension rings. Although we knew we were not allowed, and we also knew the danger it posed, there were times we would climb the “tanks” to curiously see what was in them. There was always water, both were always mostly filled, and there was always dead animals, birds and other debris floating at the top level.

Water from the tanks was then distributed by a system to the residential customers it served. It flowed by gravity means through a small diameter water line distribution system. These pipes were old and may have even been brass, copper or lead pipes. I recall as a youth many times there was uneven pressure. There was significant rust color and turbidity in the water when you turned on a spigot at the house - mainly due to the age and nature of this “rogue” community water system.

Refer to Maps 18 and 19 and Photo 9 in the “Images 4” section of the website to see the location of where the pumphouse site/lot and the “tanks” were located and a 2017 photograph of the pumphouse site/lot structure. Geographic coordinates of “the Tanks” were approximately 40.3534, -78.9196 and they were situated on a high point at Elev. 1735 (based on a USGS quadrangle map).

During research, was able to find an older June 1969 report prepared by/for the Cambria County Planning Commission and entitled “Long Range Plan”, it indicated that the then present water supply for Middle Taylor Township was provided by the Johnstown Water Authority, the Middle Taylor Township Water Authority, and a private water system “owned and operated by the families in the Valley View area for their use only”. This report indicated that the township was mostly comprised of single family residences with a population of 963 people which was expected to grow to 1,524 people by 1990. The population in the 2010 census was 727 people, so this projection was never quite realized. The report also indicated that because of the availability of public water, accessibility to the major road through the township, and the availability of developable land, future residential land use should be recommended for the topographically suited areas along Benshoff Hill Road (at the time the only paved public road in the township) and because of the rugged topography concentrations of residential development will be divided by steep wooded slopes into clusters of development where there is sufficient amounts of flat land available to accommodate the construction of houses. The area recommended for future land use development an strip concentrated in a ribbon form along the hilltop through the center of the township. The area proposed for residential use encompassed approximately 500 acres which was about 100 acres in excess of the anticipated demand based on the population projection. It was stated that the entire proposed residential area could economically be supplied with public water from the then “existing” main distribution line along Benshoff Hill Road and the township should endeavor to control and concentrate development in the area indicated to “avoid the costly extension of public services to scattered remote areas of the township.” This statement confirms the costly nature of public drinking water supply system extensions as mentioned in earlier sections of the website.

The future recommendations section of this 1969 report also indicated recommendations for the future public water system to involve two basic objectives. The first and most important objective was to “discontinue the outdated private water system in the Valley View area”. It indicated that one of the most important prerequisites for future residential expansion was an “adequate and dependable water supply” and the present system in the Valley View area, with its outdated pipelines and non-dependable water supply, will have to be replaced. It was recommended that the families in this area replace the present out-dated facility and tap into the larger, more dependable water lines of the Middle Taylor Township Water Authority. The report said that an adequate and dependable water supply will attract more families to the area. The second objective stated was to extend the present lines of the Middle Taylor Township Water Authority into areas where future residential development was anticipated and that the most efficient way to provide water to a new residential area was to have land developers or subdividers install the water main themselves and add the cost of installation to the price of the lots. This would relieve the lot purchaser and the township from the responsibility of installing a water main. The report indicated that often the lack of an adequate water line in an area will inhibit the purchase of lots and “stimey” the growth of an otherwise potential residential area.

See Map 20 in the “Images 4” section of the website for the future water system map that was in this 1969 report.

Up to this point we have only discussed water, as in drinking water, not sanitary sewer or sewage (waste). Just to mention it a bit though, as a youth I recognized that most of the residents in the Benshoff Hill/Valley View section and the rest of Middle Taylor Township had their own on-lot sewer systems - mainly septic tanks. Some may have had septic drainfields too. There was no public sewer collection system. The system at our house was a standard septic tank only with no drainfield. We did routinely get the tank pumped out because when it clogged in backed sewage up into the basement of our home. Our basement flooded routinely during heavy rain events. Our yard was flat and surface drainage was poor. The drain pipe in our basement connected directly to the septic tank. Overflow from our septic tank, like others in our neighborhood, discharged directly out onto the township road onto what is now Taft Street. It flowed along the shoulder of the road to an inlet and culvert pipe at the intersection of now Taft Street and Castle Street and then via an open channel it flowed down over the hill along the side of now Taft Street then across Earl Street to a sloped and wooded area. This wooded area was a quasi sewage lagoon in the woods. It was nasty.

As far as sewers, the 1969 report also discussed current and future sewage facilities. It indicated that because of severe topographic limitations and scattered residential development, it was unlikely that a public sanitary sewer collection system could be installed in an economic manner. Thus it was recommended in the report that the township adopt and enforce an ordinance controlling the installation and operation of on-lot sewerage disposal methods. These methods generally consist of adequately designed septic tanks and drainfields within adequate soils. It was also recommended in the report that minimum lot sizes of 20,000 square feet (about 1/2 acre) be considered for all future development within the township with lot size reductions allowed to 12,000 square feet (about 1/4 acre) in a subdivision where the developer installs a package plant and collection system for all lots within that developed subdivision. The 1969 report stated that the “malfunction of on-lot treatment methods was apparent in several areas of the township” and it was recommended that the township make a detailed inventory of all existing on-lot treatment facilities (ie. septic tanks and drainfields) and based on this detailed inventory determine the advisability of installing package plants where on-lot malfunctions could not be corrected by the proper installation of an appropriate method of on-lot disposal. Lastly it was indicated in the 1969 report that it was essential that all existing on-lot malfunctioning systems be brought up to standard immediately and “continued neglect of the on-lot sewerage treatment malfunctions would inevitably result in the necessity of installing an extremely costly sewerage collection system”.

Just to end the sewer discussion, it is my understanding that some initial phases of public sanitary sewer collection system were approved in May of 2018 for 8-inch mains and 4-inch laterals to serve 148 residences along the Middle Taylor/West Taylor Township border at, in and along the general area of the Prosser Hollow Run stream valley. This may be the initial phase of a more comprehensive public sanitary sewer collection service to the entire township dependent on availability of funding. If you look beyond all the anti-government and financial rhetoric associated with connecting to public sanitary sewer systems, this is a good thing for the health of the residents of Middle Taylor. It will also end up increasing your property values!

Now back to public drinking water again. The “rogue” water system that existing in the Benshoff Hill/Valley View section of southern Middle Taylor Township existed until the mid- to late 1970’s to the best of my recollection.

(Note: A website link to the 1969 report cited above was provided in this website. That web link is no longer active and it gives an error message if you browse. I have tried to find current links/locations through Cambria County, PA informational websites to no avail. I did make a hard copy of it at the time of finding so I have it for record purposes if needed. Although very much outdated, it does provide some interesting historical facts and statistics about the township as well as suggestions for recreation and transportation planning at the time. I do wish that some of the recreational park recommendations listed in the report would have been implemented. As a youth, we did not have much in the way of formal parks or recreation areas or no township sponsored league opportunities (like little league). The only ball fields that really existed were the very basic and rough ones present at the church/cemetery and at the school. The recommendations for a substantial park expansion at the school/fire hall and a new public park in the Benshoff Hill/Valley View section of the township now Castle Street would have been awesome and changed our lives considerably. But it never happened.)

• The municipal zoning ordinance for Middle Taylor Township, Cambria County, Pennsylvania, can be found at https://cambriaplanning.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/middle-taylor-zoning.pdf

Extension of public water lines from Johnstown…

Sometime in the late 1970’s, the public drinking water supply system was extended from the city of Johnstown up to the Benshoff Hill/Valley View section of Middle Taylor Township. This ended use of the “rogue” water system. I think the new system was installed sometime after the 1977 flood, so it would have been around 1978 or 1979. Public water was present in limited fashion due to existing trunk main lines which served only residents along Benshoff Hill Road and the extension probably came off of that system. I am not certain who the public water agency was at the time. The names that come to my mind are either Manufacturer’s Water Company, Laurel Management, and/or the Greater Johnstown Water Authority.

This new water system extension included a water tank at the central part of Middle Taylor Township at a high point in elevation along Benshoff Hill Road. This above ground tank currently exists and is situated on County Parcel No. 40-003.-175.000 at the current address of 174 Sally Road at geographic coordinates 40.3767, -78.9072. It is along an existing powerline and the tank parcel is currently owned by the Greater Johnstown Water Authority (GJWA). See Map 21 in the “Images 4” section of this website for a Google Earth exhibit of this existing above ground water storage tank.

There are three memories framed in my mind about the public water system (pipes, etc.) extension to the Benshoff Hill/Valley Viewl section of Middle Taylor Township. First, I generally remember all the general discussion about it between family members and neighbors. I think most folks realized that there were some benefits to getting a safe, reliable drinking water source. The old “rogue” system always churned out discolored water and was not reliable with flow and pressure at most times. However, I also remember folks talking about the high amount of cost required to connect and how they would find money to pay for it.

Secondly, I distinctly recall them excavating and placing pipe for the extension along the corridor we used to call “The Alley”. This was a platted unimproved road corridor just above (east) of the homes at now 196, 208 and 223 Castle Street. See Map 22 in the “Images 4” section of the website to see a property map showing the location of “The Alley” corridor. I remember the construction equipment, excavation, soil piles and pipes as this was “exciting” for us as youngsters seeing this type of major construction work going on in our neighborhood. Next to the township roads getting paved with “tar and chip” and seeing snow getting plowed in the winter with the truck plow or even the “grader”, seeing construction vehicles and excavators doing something on the “hill” amazed us. I remember us making mud cakes and throwing mud balls from the soil mounds that paralleled the pipe excavation trench.

Third and last, another memory I have of this public water system extension was on one summer night when I still lived at our house along now Taft Street. I believe it was when I was working as a young engineer in Ebensburg so it would have been sometime in the mid 1990’s. Me and my dad woke up in the middle of the night to a very loud and unusual roaring sound from our basement. Upon investigation, we found that the waterline in “The Alley” had burst near to our house. A significant amount of water was purging up from the ground in “the Alley” and running furiously down the the north side of the road now Taft Street. I had called the water company emergency number and the operator who I spoke with had said “Yes - I knew there was a leak somewhere as water level in the storage tank had dropped considerably overnight and eventually I knew somebody would call.”

To summarize, the water system was extended to the Benshoff Hill/Valley View section and other areas of Middle Taylor Township. There is no doubt about that. The main question is WHY? Was it just a progress of development in the city and surrounding areas? As there were more houses, was there more need for a reliable public drinking water system? But the population in Middle Taylor Township had not really increased as projected. And as stated in previous research sections, it is very, very expensive to extend a public water supply system so there must be a cost-benefit. Especially to an area like Middle Taylor Township which sits very much higher in elevation than the City of Johnstown proper. In addition, the installation of a new water tank to gravity feed to new township customers was needed and the extent of new water trunk main and service line construction would have been in some very rough terrain (up and down hills and township roads and alleys and backyards) within the township itself. Some of the other general questions that arise from this extension also include:

• Was there such growth in the Township that necessitated extension of the public drinking water system up the hill from the valley?

• Was it just to grab a few more customers or customer base for revenue?

• Was the cost/benefit of such a public drinking water system extension to these new customers worthwhile?

• Was the public drinking water system extension just to Middle Taylor Township or was it in conjunction with providing service to other jurisdictional areas adjacent to the City of Johnstown also?

• If it was to extend the customer-base why just public drinking water? Why not public drinking water and sanitary sewer also?

• Was there another reason for the public drinking water system extension other than just to grab a few customers?

• If so, what were the other reasons? There must be reasons to make such a tremendous capital investment into the public water system?

• Did any public official know that the public drinking water system extension was needed or done due to knowledge that groundwater and drinking water supply within the existing “rogue” water system and other well systems that served the Benshoff Hill/Valley View and Linkville Road sections of central and southern Middle Taylor Township, were contaminated because of the Riders Dump (Rosedale) Disposal Area?

• If so, was the public (residents) of Middle Taylor Township properly notified and educated on the reason for the public drinking water system extension and/or the potential for contaminated groundwater?

You can say that these memories, the insignificant event of a simple water main break in the middle of the night, and these general questions continued to intrigue my interest in the topic and continued me down the path of all this research.

The Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA)…

There may have been many reasons why the public drinking water supply system was extended out of the City of Johnstown to the Benshoff Hill/Valley View and Linkville Road sections and other areas of central and southern Middle Taylor Township. One reason perhaps was due to what was known as the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA).

The SDWA is the main federal law that ensures the quality of the nation’s drinking water. Under the SDWA, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) has the authority to set standards for drinking water quality and oversees the states, localities, and water suppliers who implement those standards. The SDWA authorizes the US EPA to set national health-based standards for drinking water to protect against both naturally-occurring and man-made contaminants that may be found in drinking water. The US EPA, states, and water system owners/operators then work together to make sure that these standards are met. The SDWA does not regulate on-lot private wells which serve fewer than 25 individuals.

The SDWA was originally passed by Congress in 1974 to protect public health by regulating the nation's public drinking water supply. Originally, the SDWA focused primarily on treatment as the means of providing safe drinking water at the tap. The law was amended in 1986 and 1996 and now requires many actions to protect drinking water and its sources - including rivers, lakes, reservoirs, springs, and ground water wells. The 1996 amendments greatly enhanced the existing law by recognizing that source water protection, operator training, funding for water system improvements, and public information are all important components to provide safe drinking water. This approach ensures the quality of drinking water by protecting it from source to tap.

There are a number of identified threats to drinking water. Examples include improperly disposed of oils and chemicals; runoff from animal wastes; runoff containing herbicides and pesticides; intrusion from human wastes; contamination from wastes injected deep underground; exposure to naturally-occurring substances; and contamination from spills or leaks. Likewise, drinking water that is not properly treated or disinfected, or which travels through an improperly maintained distribution system, may also pose a health risk to the public.

The Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) mandated that the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) establish regulations to protect human health from contaminants in drinking water. The law authorized the US EPA to develop national drinking water standards and to create a joint federal-state system to ensure compliance with the standards. The SDWA also directed the US EPA to protect underground sources of drinking water through the control of underground injection of liquid wastes.

The US EPA developed primary and secondary drinking water standards under its SDWA authority. The US EPA and authorized states enforce the primary drinking water standards, which are, contaminant-specific concentration limits that apply to certain public drinking water supplies. Primary drinking water standards consist of maximum contaminant level goals (MCLG’s), which are non-enforceable health-based goals, and maximum contaminant levels (MCL’s), which are enforceable limits set as close to MCLG’s as possible, considering cost and feasibility of attainment.

Additional information about the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) can be found at:

https://www.epa.gov/laws-regulations/summary-safe-drinking-water-act

To summarize, the provisions of the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) could be the primary or one of many valid reasons why the public water system was extended from the City of Johnstown to the Benshoff Hill/Valley View and Linkville Road sections and other areas of central and southern Middle Taylor Township. Although it was known the existing “rogue” water system on the hill was not in good shape, unreliable, and probably generally unsafe, it just does not seem possible in the time frame that the sole reason for extension of the system out of Johnstown was because of the SDWA. If the SDWA was enacted into law around 1975 and the extension to the Benshoff Hill/Valley View and Linkville Road and other sections of central and southern Middle Taylor Township (beyond the Benshoff Hill road corridor) happened in the late 1970’s, it does not seem possible that the project could go from enabling legislation, to planning, to obtain funding, to finalization of design, to obtaining permits, to securing any necessary rights-of-way, to finalization of agreements for operation and maintenance, and to construction completion within a five (5) year time frame.

Some of the other general questions that arise from this enabling legislation include:

• Were formal consent orders issued by the US EPA or the state?

• Was the sole reason the public drinking water system was extended to the Benshoff Hill/Valley View and Linkville Road and other sections of central and southern Middle Taylor Township from the City of Johnstown primarily due to the SDWA?

• Was there any knowledge of groundwater contamination from the Riders Dump (Rosedale) DIsposal Area that factored in to any official decision(s) to extend the public drinking water system to the Benshoff Hill/Valley View and Linkville Road and other sections of central and southern Middle Taylor Township?

• What entities were involved in the decision-making to extend the public drinking water system to the Benshoff Hill/Valley View and Linkville Road and other sections of central and southern Middle Taylor Township ?

• Does any documentation exist on the decision(s) made to extend the public drinking water system (resolutions, meeting minutes, letters, etc.) to the Benshoff Hill/Valley View and Linkville Road and other sections of central and southern Middle Taylor Township ?

• Were the residents of Middle Taylor Township properly informed, notified and educated by proper public notices on provisions of the SDWA, the reason(s) for extension of the public drinking water system to the Benshoff Hill/Valley View and Linkville Road and other sections of central and southern Middle Taylor Township, and/or if any groundwater contamination existed?

• Were there any public hearings about it?

You can say that this federal regulation and these general questions continued to intrigue my interest in the topic and continued me down the path of all this research.