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Board approves Suburban Water agreement to secure licensed water and wastewater operations
Summary
After discussing licensing challenges and recent PFAS concerns, the board approved a contract with Suburban Water to provide licensed operator services for district water and wastewater systems, citing regulatory requirements and staffing limits at certain treatment facilities.
The Boyertown Area SD board approved an agreement June 23 to contract with Suburban Water for licensed operator services to manage the district’s water and wastewater systems.
Administrators explained that while on-site staff perform routine sampling and day‑to‑day tasks, Pennsylvania regulatory frameworks require a licensed operator to make process-control decisions and provide 24-hour availability for system oversight. The administration referenced a recent PFAS detection issue in the Gilbert’sville area as underscoring the need for licensed operator guidance.
Board members asked whether the district could instead license an internal employee for the Earl facility; administrators said prior attempts to license district staff had not succeeded, citing the time and continuing-education requirements and the assessment components staff must pass. The administration said contracting is common among districts to meet highly regulated compliance needs.
The motion to approve the Suburban Water agreement passed by roll call. Administrators said the contracted arrangement fills an immediate regulatory gap while the district continues recruitment efforts for in-house capacity.
