Sewickley Herald

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Serving:
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Edgeworth
Haysville Leet Township Leetsdale Osbome Sewickley Sewiddey Heights
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Vol. 86 Wo. 24®
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Wednesday, June 14, 1989
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19 Gateway Press Newspapers
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this one-man fan club in the bleachers. Leading the procession of soon-to-be graduates into the stadium last week were the honor students, shown at right. For
more on QV commencement, see page 19. Sewickley Academy also held itscom-mencement last week.T’oralast look at SA’s Class of ’89, see page 11.
Moon water crisis doesn't play well here
Sewickley Planning Commission concerned about effect on local riverfront
By Greg Hohman
Moon Township needs water, and it has come to Sewickley to get it. And the Sewickley Planning Commission is concerned about its impact.
Preliminary testing already is under way at riverside on the site of the proposed Walnut Street Park. Ernie Keck of Moon Township Municipal Authority says two test wells and a pump test at the end of June will give Moon some idea how much good quality drinking water is under that part of the Ohio.
As of Monday morning, one test well could be seen in action on Walnut Street itself (on the land side of the railroad.) It was scheduled to be removed Tuesday morning.
Sewickley officials are not unaware of Moon Township’s plans, At last week’s Planning Commission meeting, planner Eliza Nevin said she “can’t believe Sewickley, with so little waterfront, Wouldgive any away.”
Other questions arose. Is there no better place? Would such an arrangement deplete Sewickley’s water supply? Is the borough requited to provide access?
“Moon Township cannot go north without getting into our wells,” commented planner Hugh A. McMaster III. “It’s the only
reasonable place.” '
•	He said he believes a decision whether or not Moon may proceed is out of Sewickley’s hands, “The Army Corps of Engineer's has authority over the waterline.”
'I can't believe Sewickley, with so little waterfront, wouldgive any away.' Eliza Nevin Sewickley Planning Commissioner
Moon Township needs water because it is developing so rapidly. The community’s water authority is trying to keep pace with this development. Keck says new construction, particularly office buildings and the airport terminal, will make the task a difficult one. Moon must go further afield to satisfy increased demands for safe drinking water. '
Keck says there is no more groundwater downstream from Moon’s existing well on the Ohio, which is located upstream from the Sewickley Bridge. In addition, a rock outcrop on the south shore stretches half the width of
the river,	•
The picture upstream is likewise without great prospects, adds Keck. Good quality water isn’t likely to be found beneath oU storage plants and old industrial sites.
Not surprisingly, river water is the last alternative, reports Keck.
Moon’s water authority has begun operations on Sewickley soil. Hydro Group Inc. is the authority’s engineer.
The estimated price for Moon’s proposed well is $750,000. Its water authority is looking into two options for transporting the water back across the river: piping it along the bridge itself or burying a pipe in the river bed. Keck estimates the latter approach at approximately $500,000. The former would be a much higher figure, he says.
If tests indicate there is indeed a potential water source where Moon Water Authority has set up shop on Sewickley soil, the proposed Walnut Street Park might find itself graced with a Moon Water Authority pumphouse.
While pointing out the authority would do its best to make everything unobtrusive, the notion of a riverside park was unknown to Keck. “It’s the first I heard of it,” he reveals.
Inside
Sewickley talks new zoning ordinance
Local heirlooms hit auction block
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Leet's Mim Bizic has high-tech kudos
«a Edgeworth kids fete D.T. Watson kids
IS
Sewickley Hotspurs: Pa. state champs