Perkasie Borough Authority

1895 -Beginnings

As East was meeting West through train travel, the Perkasie Water Company was organized in March 1895 under a Perkasie Borough Ordinance, which ran water pipes in Perkasie and obtained its charter from the state to supply water to the Borough. The Perkasie Water Company purchased the Willet farm on Three Mile Run Road (with water rights) and two other properties from John Dillon and John Freed. The new plant consisted of an earth basin next to the springs on the Dillon-Freed land, a six-inch water main across the farm, and roads to a million gallon reservoir near the south side (Perkasie side) of the railroad tunnel. From the reservoir an 8" distribution main was laid down from 10th & Vine Street, down Vine St. under the railroad to Seventh Street, along Seventh Street to Market Street. Other branches of pipe supplied the more heavily settled areas of town for a total of 3 ¼ miles (seventeen thousand feet) of pipe in 1895. There were 30 hydrants, 36 valves and 50 services at this time. The work and plant were completed in the fall of that year.

1902 - System Expansion

An increased number of consumers required expansion of the system in 1900. A brick pumping station was erected and a Deming Triplex pump driven by an Otto gasoline engine was installed. For ten years this system served the community.

In 1902, as Wilbur and Orville were trying their wings, the Perkasie Water Company changed its name to the Perkasie Water Supply Company. In 1911 Keller Springs (1 ½ miles east of farm on slope of Rock Hill) was acquired in order to expand the system. A cast iron line connected the Keller Springs supply to the Willet Farm & the rest of the system. A filter and hydrochloric pump plant filtered and chlorinated the water to avoid possible contamination by the Railroad Company. The water line from the water farm to the reservoir was expanded to increase capacity for the Keller Springs water. The water line from the water farm to the reservoir was expanded to an 8" pipe. Extensions were made to distribute water in town including South Perkasie. In 1929 there were 75,000 feet of pipe in place to serve the Perkasie Borough.

1920's - Rates & Meters

Until the 1920's, when the automobile was fast becoming the most popular mode of travel, users of the system originally paid flat rates for water use. Perkasie Water Supply Company was ordered to discontinue this practice in 1921 by the Public Service Commission; the company was given five years to install meters. A few meters were installed as early as 1900, but it was not until the 1920's that a general metering system was in place. By 1929, 99% of all water service was metered. By 1954 there were 96,000 feet of pipe, 86 hydrants, 220 valves, and 1150 services.

1955 - Change to Perkasie Borough Authority

In the 1950's the increased demand for commercial passenger airlines was becoming evident.

In 1955 the Perkasie Borough, under the Municipal Authority's Act of 1945 formed the Perkasie Borough Authority for the purpose of purchasing the assets of the Perkasie Water Supply Company and Perkasie Sewer Company. Since then the Authority has been providing potable water and sanitary sewers to Perkasie Borough and neighboring townships.

Today
Space Age technology has come to affect all areas of our lives as we move into the twenty first century.

In 2004 the Perkasie Borough Authority has three deep wells in the Three Mile Run Water Shed and three deep wells in the Perkiomen Water Shed. The distribution system has grown to over 200,000 feet of piping, 314 fire hydrants, over 800 main valves, and in excess of 3200 service line valves. Two storage facilities of 1,000,000 gallons and 2,000,000 million gallons, respectively, ensure a continued supply of domestic as well as fire uses.

Water supplied by the Authority is pumped from wells and chlorinated before entering the distribution network. A food grade blend of ortho and polyphosphates is placed in the water to remove iron and manganese molecules that cause discolored and stained water. Well number 10 in South Perkasie is equipped with a stripping tower to remove TCE contamination. Wastewater is collected and piped to the Pennridge Wastewater Treatment Authority in Sellersville to be treated and disposed.

Today there are 2,870 households receiving water in Perkasie, 674 in East Rockhill Township, 14 in West Rockhill Township, and 23 in Hilltown Township. Water rates range from $2.80 for 1 through 5,000 gallons to $4.60 for 26,000 gallons and over. Water conservation kits are available at the PBA office. Billing for water is determined by thousands of gallons passing through the meter during a billing period. Meters are read by a remote station attached to the outside of the building being serviced.

Hydrant Flushing
Hydrant flushing is conducted by PBA in the spring and fall each year to assist in removing sediment and mineral deposit buildup that collects in the water mains and lines. Though discolored water may appear from a faucet during the flushing programs, it helps to minimize it throughout the year.