North Wales, Pa. – March 26, 2019 – Senator Maria Collett (D-Bucks/Montgomery) announced today that Pennsylvania’s Commonwealth Financing Authority (CFA) has awarded a $5 million grant to the Warminster Municipal Authority (WMA) to construct water treatment systems and a $3 million grant to Warrington Township to renovate their public wells.  

In 2014, it was discovered that the drinking water supply from public wells in Warminster and Warrington contained increased levels of dangerous poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Long-term exposure to PFAS have been shown to cause various negative health effects, including infertility, high cholesterol, and certain types of cancer. Upon learning of the contamination, the WMA and Warrington Township took their wells offline and began purchasing water from another source at a significantly higher cost.

“Our local governments and ratepayers have been paying a steep premium for clean, safe water,” said Senator Collett. “This is unfair and punitive, given that they bear none of the responsibility for the contamination. Our residents are the ones getting sick. We are the victims — we shouldn’t be left footing the bill. I applaud Governor Wolf and the Commonwealth Financing Authority for recognizing this and offering aid.”

The funding for these grants comes from the H2O PA funds. H2O PA was created under Act 63 of 2008 to fund water and sewer projects, as well as stormwater projects, flood control projects, and high-hazard unsafe dam projects.

The CFA has also awarded a $3 million grant to Higher Rock Partners, LP to construct a series of transportation improvements to alleviate congestion surrounding their development project at the intersection of Bethlehem Pike and Stump Road in Montgomery Township. The funding for this grant comes from the Multimodal Transportation Fund, which supports projects that encourage economic development and ensure safe and reliable transportation for our residents

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