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May 1, 2000
Herald-Standard

Pollution problem

Five teams of volunteers have collected water samples from 44 sites within the Redstone Creek watershed.

The sampling was undertaken by the Greater Redstone Clearwater Initiative to better understand the various pollution problems in the watershed so they can be treated.

"This is the second sampling we've done.  The first one was done Aug. 26, 1999.  That was in the midst of a drought and low water conditions," said John Piwowar, chairman of the local watershed group.

The sampling took place Thursday, starting in the mountain area near Coolspring, all the way along Redstone Creek to its mouth in Brownsville, as well as along Little Redstone Creek, Downers Run and Rankin Run and other tributaries.

Four water samples were taken at each site so tests can be done for various pollutants, including phosphates, metals, mine drainage and fecal coliform bacteria.  The samplers also checked the volume of the water flow and made notations on the color of the streambed.

"This will serve as a data base for us to use to apply for grants to clean up the creek," Piwowar said.

Some of the worst pollution is in the area of the Phillips discharge in Menallen Township, off Route 51.  Above the mine discharge area is a strong odor of raw sewage.  Below the mine discharge area, the creek runs orange, with orange residue on the banks and bottom of the creek and on items in the water such as fallen trees.  The residue is iron, which discolors the water, not sulfur as some people have thought.  The stream in the fall tested alkaline in that area, the opposite of acid drainage, but just as harmful.

Mark Killar of the Western Pennsylvania Coalition for Abandoned Mine Reclamation belongs to the Greater Redstone Clearwater Initiative and helped to organize the volunteers for the sampling day.

Killar said the second set of data will help determine project areas for the watershed organization.

"If those borderline cases we saw in the summer or fall look good now, they wouldn't be of as much concern," Killar said.

He said the mine drainage concentrations may or may not stay the same, but the expectation is for organic pollution to be diluted at high water levels.  If it is the same or higher, then more research would be needed to see what increased along with the water flow to provide the higher bacteria readings.

"The next step will be just to concentrate on the areas that show a significant impact," Killar said.

"Areas of mine drainage are concentrated, primarily in the area of Phillips and Rankin Run.  The sewage was much more widespread than the mine drainage," Killar said.

The sewage odor actually is less intense below the mine drainage, because the sewage is less concentrated from the increased flow and because of a chemical reaction with the iron in the water.

Killar said a study done in another state showed that sewage treated using sand with a high concentration of iron was better treated than sewage that passed through sand with lower iron levels.

It will be several weeks before the results of the water quality survey are available.

The state Department of Environmental Protection is conducting the laboratory tests on the water samples.

Piwowar said the results will be available for the June meeting of the Greater Redstone Clearwater Initiative board of directors.