DEP’s Bureau of Environmental Cleanup and Brownfields is investigating a groundwater plume located in Saegertown Borough, Crawford County, in accordance with the Hazardous Sites Cleanup Act (HSCA). Periodic updates about this investigation will be posted on this page.

The Saegertown PFAS Site (Site) is in a former industrial park located on Erie Street in the Borough of Saegertown. Within the Site, the Borough owns a 4.5-acres property where two public water supply wells, PW-6 and PW-7, are located. These wells are two of seven source wells that supply the Saegertown Borough public water system, which serves a population of approximately 1,500 people, businesses, industries, and 380 service connections.

The Site investigation is in response to sampling data from public water supply wells collected by DEP’s Safe Drinking Water Program in 2020. This sampling was conducted in accordance with Pennsylvania’s PFAS Action Team’s Actions and Recommendations included in their 2019 Initial Report. This data indicated that PW-6 and PW-7 are contaminated with per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) compounds.

The goals of the HSCA investigation are to delineate the extent of contamination in order to identify any exposure pathways to residents or the environment in the area, to locate potential sources, and to determine possible mitigation or remediation measures.

The initial phase of investigation and Final Report are complete. The Department and its contractor are preparing for additional investigation. A Phase II Site Investigation Work Plan was completed in September 2023 with field activities expected to begin in Spring 2024.

For more information on PFAS compounds, please see the web links below. For more information about the HSCA program, visit DEP’s HSCA Annual Report Story Map and the HSCA home page.

Timeline

= Completed Steps, = Current Step, = Next Steps

 Investigation Work Plan Development
 Investigation Field Work Activities
 Final Reports

Contact

Please direct questions pertaining to the Saegertown PFAS Site HSCA investigation to DEP Northwest Region HSCA Project Manager John Morettini, at 814-332-6666 or jmorettini@pa.gov.

All media inquiries should go to DEP Northwest Region Community Relations Coordinator, Tom Decker, at 814-332-6615 or thomadecke@pa.gov.

DEP Information on PFAS:

PFAS in Drinking Water

Governor’s PFAS Action Team Report

DEP’s PFAS Sampling Plan

DEP’s PFAS Sampling Plan Final Results

Groundwater Monitoring Work Plan Final

Citizens Advisory Council: Introduction to Per and Poly Fluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS)

DEP’s Role with PFAS

Additional Information on PFAS:

Interstate Technology and Regulatory Council: PFAS — Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances

EPA’s PFAS Strategic Roadmap