Since 1816, The York Water Company has been committed to providing a safe and reliable supply of water to the greater York area. As you know, York is a very dynamic and rapidly growing community. Although recent trends in industrial water demand have declined, there has been a greater increase in the amount of water consumed by our  residential and commercial customers. The York Water Company has been tracking these trends for many years and in early 2001, The York Water Company began the permitting process to secure an additional supply of water for its customers. This web site will provide an overview of the proposed project and answer some common questions.  

If you have any other questions, you can contact Jeff Hines at The York Water Company: (717)845-3601 or send an e-mail to jeffh@yorkwater.com. 
 
 
 
 
 

In 2001 York’s average daily demand was 20.7 MGD and the safe yield of the existing supply is 23.0 MGD. Safe yield is defined as the amount of water that is available from our supply during the worst drought on record.  Due to continued growth in the greater York area, demand is projected to exceed safe yield in 2006.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Yes! If we were to have a drought as bad as the worst drought we've ever experienced, we would have enough water to meet your needs. 

If we have a severe drought in 2007 we will need about .5 MGD  of  water in addition to the 23 MGD that is available from our lakes. Then, if we look ahead 30 years, based on current projections of population growth, it appears we will need an additional 7 MGD by the year 2030 for our average day needs and an additional 12 MGD for those days of peak water demand.

As you know, projects like this take time and may require several years for permitting and construction. In this case, it appears that we will need more water by the year 2006. Since it will take  about 5 years to permit, design, and build the necessary facilities, we started permitting and design in 2001.  

York Water hired RK&K Engineers to design the project and Kinsley Construction  to build the pump station and pipeline.  
  
  
  
  

Of the various options that were evaluated, the pipeline from the Susquehanna River to Lake Redman was selected as the best alternative because it had the lowest cost, provided expandability, and was the best for the environment. 

York Water has received a water allocation permit from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection a maximum daily allocation of 12.0 MGD from the Susquehanna River. We would then build an intake and a pump station on a 3 acre property that York Water currently owns at Long Level in Lower Windsor Township, York County. The water would then be pumped 15 miles through a 30"/36” diameter pipe and released into York Water's Lake Redman. This additional supply would then be available at our existing point of withdrawal on the South Branch Codorus Creek at Brillhart Station.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

The Susquehanna River is an excellent source of water supply. In addition to being a very clean river, it also has a very large capacity. For instance, York Water’s withdrawal of 12 MGD is less than ½ of 1% of the average daily flow of the Susquehanna River.  Also, as the largest body of fresh water in the area,  the Susquehanna River will provide us with a "drought resistant" supply well beyond the year 2030. 

Some other benefits of this project:  
We would only  pump from the Susquehanna River during times of drought.  
By pumping from the Susquehanna, Lake Redman and Lake Williams will be more available for fishing and boating opportunities during droughts. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

The project will be divided into two parts:  
 Permitting and Design Construction  

The permitting took about 2 years to complete and is now ready for construction. 

Groundbreaking occurred on August 21, 2003. Construction of the pump station started on August 25, 2003. Construction of the water main will begin on September 29, 2003.  The construction will involve these tasks: 

--Construct an intake and pump station at Long Level 
--Construct a 15 mile pipeline 
 

The facility design is complete. The intake will be located in the Susquehanna River adjacent to a three acre property owned by York Water. The intake will be constructed flush with the bottom of the river so that it does not interfere with recreational activities on Lake Clarke.  The pump station will be designed to be aesthetically pleasing and the pump motors will be selected for quiet operation. 
 
 

The pipeline will have a  30"/36" diameter and be about 15 miles long. The pipeline will either be located along the shoulder of existing roads and/or located in private right-of-ways. The proposed pipeline  will start in Lower Windsor Township and pass through Windsor Township, North Hopewell Township, and York Township. The pipeline will be covered by 3.5 feet of earth and except for the occasional access lid, should not be noticeable after construction.  In fact, York Water has several large diameter mains passing through the Wyndham Hills area and the Country Club of York, and it is hard to tell where the water mains are. 

Pipeline route is located on 3 maps (click to view map):  

1. Lower Windsor Township 
2. Windsor Township 
3. York Township and North Hopewell Township  

We estimate the project will cost $22 million.  The costs must be reviewed and approved  by the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission and we would expect the average $20 monthly  residential water bill will increase by about $3.50. This new rate will not take affect until after we've completed the facilities late in 2004.