Township Manager Tested Own Water for Lead in 2010, Documents Show

By Lynn Rebuck • 9 years ago

May
2016

Tested Own Home Multiple Times as Others Went Untested and WTMA Violated the Law

State documents show that the home of Dan Zimmerman, the Warwick Township Municipal Authority administrator and township manager, was among multiple homes tested twice for lead in tap water during 2010 as other homes went untested for the toxic metal.

Documents obtained by LititzDailyNews.com from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection in response to a request made under the Right-to-Know Law show that Zimmerman tested his own home multiple times while other homes in Lititz went untested by the township for the metal known to be toxic to infants, children, developing embryos and adults.

A comparison of state data analyzed by LititzDailyNews.com recently showed that children in the Lititz area have higher rates of lead poisoning than kids in Flint, even after the city’s switch to the Flint River.

Zimmerman’s signature appears on forms attesting that he provided tap water samples from his home on Appaloosa Drive in 2010. His address appears twice on the list of homes tested that year, one of five homes with favorable test results that were tested twice that year.

“That’s highly unethical, and I think it’s illegal,” said Marc Edwards in an exclusive interview with LititzDailyNews.com. Edwards is the Virginia Tech researcher who was instrumental in exposing high lead levels in Flint water.

State officials issued a Notice of Violation addressed to Zimmerman on March 17 after determining that “Warwick violated the Safe Drinking Water Regulations,” according to the notice. The state found that WTMA failed to sample the correct numer of sites,” one of three violations noted.

Instead of collecting samples from 30 different sites as required in 2010, the township tested only 25. If test results for more than 10 percent of homes tested surpass the limit for lead, the township and municipal authority would be required to take action that may cause them additional expense.

“According to records provided by Warwick, several sites were resampled during the monitoring completed in 2010 and 2013,” according to the Notice of Violation issued to the township in March. Systems as large as Warwick Township’s are prohibited from double sampling.

The township told the state that a former DEP employee had approved the resampling of sites, but the state found no record of any exemption being approved.

Zimmerman has not responded to requests for comment since the documents showing he tested his own home were disclosed. A request for an interview with LititzDailyNews.com emailed last week has gone unanswered.

Participants in the voluntary water testing incur no expense, an added incentive to participate.

The LititzDailyNews.com investigation uncovered questionable testing protocols in Warwick Township’s Lititz and Rothsville systems, and drinking water quality reports with incorrect information about lead in water provided to residents in Lititz Borough.

After a Warwick Township Municipal Authority meeting in February, Zimmerman said in an interview that it was difficult to find participants willing to have their water evaluated. Edwards said his experience testing water in communities has been quite different. Once he explains that he and his team are sampling for a safety issue, people approach him about testing.

The WTMA-Lititz system in which Zimmerman resides serves over 3,000 connections. Laws require the water provider to locate and test homes considered at highest risk for lead contamination: the highest priority sites include homes with lead service lines or pipes, or homes built between 1982-1985 that have copper pipes with lead solder. According to county real estate records, Zimmerman’s home was built in the 1970s.

The state determined that the township and the borough both violated laws meant to protect the public from lead when they failed to conduct adequate evaluations to locate appropriate sampling sites.

“Although Warwick states that this evaluation was completed, it admits that its review was not complete, and some homes were incorrectly classified,” according to the violation issued by the David Linton, a drinking water supervisor for the state.

Residents have reacted to the news of the violations, with some calling for Zimmerman’s removal from his staff position.

“Are the borough and township managers going to be held accountable?” asked Mike Miller on the LititzDailyNews.com Facebook page.

Since Zimmerman is not an elected official, his employment is controlled by the elected board of Warwick Township supervisors, who will meet this Wednesday night, May 18. The meeting is open to public comment, and those who wish to address the board with concerns or ask questions about water quality must simply sign up prior to entering the meeting.

The WTMA board will meet tomorrow night, Tuesday, May 17, at 7 p.m. Both meetings will be held at Warwick Township offices, 315 Clay Road, Lititz.

How to Connect with Your Government Officials:

Information for contacting state and municipal officials and to engage with local leaders at municipal meetings that are open to public comment is found below:

The Warwick Township Municipal Authority (WTMA) meetings are open to the public, and members of the community may address the board during the public comment portion of the monthly meeting held on the third Tuesday of each month at 315 Clay Road, Lititz. The next meeting will be held on May 17 at 7 p.m.

Dan Zimmerman, Warwick Township Manager/WTMA Administrator Email: [email protected] Phone: (717) 626-8900

Warwick Township Supervisors who oversee personnel matters concerning the Township Manager are: W. Logan Myers, III; Michael Vigunas; C. David Kramer; Herbert Flosdorf; Kenneth Eshleman.

Email: [email protected] Phone: (717) 626-8900

The Board of Supervisors meeting is open to the public who are allowed opportunity for comment. The next meeting of the Board of Supervisors is scheduled for Wednesday, May 18, 2016 at 7:00 p.m.

PA Bureau of Safe Drinking Water: (717) 787-9633

CORRECTION: This article originally listed the date for the township supervisors to meet as Tuesday. they will meet on Wednesday, May 18 at 7 p.m. The Warwick Township Municipal Authority board will meet tomorrow night, Tuesday, May 17 at 7 p.m.

If you live in Lititz Borough, Warwick Township, Rothsville, or anywhere in the 17543 ZIP code and have a child who has tested with an elevated blood lead level, please email [email protected] today. For tips on how to reduce your exposure to lead, visit the Lead in Drinking Water page of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.