Pike County publishes guide for clean water

By TOM KANE

MILFORD, PA - “Water, water everywhere, nor any drop to drink.”

That quotation from “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner” will not be applicable to Pike County if the Pike County Conservation District has anything to say about it.

The district has just published a booklet called “Pike County: Where People, Land and Water Meet-A Citizens’ Guide to Clean Water.”

According to the dedication, the book’s purpose is to protect drinking water and water testing, to maintain on-lot sewage treatment systems, to give agency contact information for environmental problems and emergencies and to identity and protect wetlands on residents’ properties.

These issues are especially vital because of the significant growth that Pike County is presently experiencing. The publication lays out the criteria for achieving clean water and pinpoints exactly what residents can do to ensure that this vital resource is preserved.

“This publication is designed, first, to help Pike County residents better understand how we, as individuals and collectively in our communities, affect the land and the water,” said Roy Borgfeld, board chairman of the Pike County Conservation District. “Secondly, and very importantly, it also addresses what we can do to lessen the impacts [of development].

A guide for citizens

The publication is being called a reference guide because it defines county watersheds, lists meeting schedules of relevant organizations and volunteer groups, gives the address of conservation organizations, names responsible municipality officials and defines technical terminology, such as non-point source pollution, storm-water management and wetlands.

It also gives advice to homeowners about the operation and maintenance of their on-lot sewage systems, including how often to pump out septic tanks.

The guide provides information that residents can use to urge their township officials to ensure the preservation and control of township waterways.

An informed citizenry is the best resource a community has in the preservation and operation of municipal functions. “We can make all the difference,” Borgfeld said. “Most of the things we can do are pretty simple and straightforward. All it takes is a little knowledge and the will to do our part.”

Residents can get a free copy of the publication by contacting the Pike County Conservation District, HC 8, Box 6770, Hawley, PA 18428, 570/226-8220, or go to www.pikeconservation.org for more information.