ANE — Concern seems to be growing over what is causing the water in Kane to look and smell strange.

On Sunday, Pennsylvania American Water released another update reaffirming testing results showed no presence of industrial contaminants in the borough’s water supply. Additionally, the update specified that line flushing was ongoing and reported odors had begun to dissipate.  

This report has become a daily read for approximately 2,000 Kane residents serviced by Pennsylvania American Water since the issue appeared last Wednesday. For some it has become a focal point of concern.

When asked about how the water issue has affected them, Kane resident Kelly Mix said, “when people’s main source of water is in danger, I think they tend to freak out and rightfully so.”

Mix was one of several residents that expressed concern over the fact that a direct cause had not been identified yet. Updates over the weekend have pointed to the unseasonably warm and rainy weather as the likely culprit, but Pennsylvania American Water had not confirmed this to be the case as of Sunday’s update.

When asked if other systems within Pennsylvania American Water’s service area had been experiencing similar issues, Gary Lobaugh, the Pennsylvania American Water external affairs manager for Western Pennsylvania, replied, “While we haven’t experienced this condition in our other systems, instances of taste and odor conditions related to algae blooms are increasing because of the changing weather patterns in Pennsylvania and throughout the country.”

For her part, Heidi Rice of Kane voiced her concern over social media, asking, “If it was heavy rains and warmer temperatures wouldn’t this happen every year?”

In response, Lobaugh commented, “This hasn’t been a normal winter. The Kane service area is typically experiencing a deep freeze during this portion of the winter, which prevents naturally occurring organisms from growing.”

Lobaugh went on to quote a previous update saying, “the sampling results imply that this event is a result of a still unknown naturally occurring event.”

Flushing of the distribution system continues along with testing of the seven wells and eight springs feeding the reservoirs prior to the treatment plant. Residents with cloudy or discolored water are encouraged to run the tap water until it clears before use or contact the customer service center at 1-800-565-7292 to report changes or ask questions.

With regards to water testing, Lobaugh was asked why it was not sourced to an independent company, to which he replied: “Pennsylvania American Water’s laboratories — including Kane — are DEP accredited. Our parent company (American Water)’s Belleville, Ill., laboratory supports research through sophisticated testing and analysis. Since its inception, our research and development program has evolved to become a leading water-related research program, achieving advancements in the science of drinking water and wastewater.”

He went on to add, “the testing done in Belleville sets the standard for water utilities, and is truly ahead of its time. The lab has a history of being on the forefront of monitoring, testing, identifying and controlling contaminants before specific federal regulations are put in place. Our highly sophisticated analytical and research capabilities are why the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regularly taps into our lab and our research team to help develop federal drinking water standards and regulations.”

Until the issue is fully resolved, Pennsylvania American Water has worked in cooperation with the Kane Volunteer Fire Department to bring in fresh water from their Butler County District that is free to residents. Hours of availability have been changed and specified in the latest update.  

The tanker is available to Kane residents from 9 to 11 a.m. and 4 to 6 p.m. at the Kane firehall until further notice.

“We hold ourselves to the highest standards in delivering clean, safe, high-quality drinking water to the people we serve. All 36 of Pennsylvania American Water’s water treatment facilities, which includes Kane, have been recognized by the EPA, DEP and other water organizations for consistently achieving water treatment standards that surpass EPA regulatory requirements,” said Lobaugh.

Updates continue to stress that as potential or actual causes are identified, Pennsylvania American Water will work to prevent further issues and thanks customers for their continued patience as they worked to restore the quality of the water.

Residents can stay advised of updates by visiting Pennsylvania American Water’s website at https://amwater.com/paaw/.