Residents meet with Sunoco and township officials over pipeline

Resident met with township officials and Sunoco reps Thursday night.

"We knew they were coming through so we decided not to plant it this year," said Dottie and Jim Graham. They showed me what used to be the garden area in the backyard of their West Whiteland Township home before Sunoco ran a pipeline through their property.

"We got our pipeline marker there and that's been the biggest intrusion to our property," said Dottie. The Grahams have lived on Valley View Drive for 21 years with pristine water until now.

"First of all not having water and then it was cloudy, crud coming up from the bottom and low pressure" said Dottie. The problem started for many residents in the area on June 27th. Tonight township officials and Sunoco reps held a meeting with Uwchlan and West Whiteland residents about what caused it.

"They had encountered water. Water in the drilling operation isn't a unique situation to them. They thought perhaps it would be a spring but nevertheless they did notify us," said George Turner with the West Whiteland Township Board of Supervisors.

Residents voiced their concerns about the pipeline process. There's also an offer on the table from Aqua, the township's public water service, for residents on affected wells to hook up to them during the drilling process. Sunoco would pay for it. Residents aren't sold on the process.


"What is Sunoco building into their proposition which assures all these people 2 years or 3 years or whatever the legal ramifications are that they'll be ok?" said one man. Another said, "I appreciate what you're trying to say but do not look at us and say no risk. Please. Show us some respect," he said as the crowd applauded.

Jim Graham believes Sunoco is doing the best it can to help residents who have been inconvenienced.
"It has to happen. It's nothing we can really do about it so we have to make the best of it," he said.
Sunoco has been providing bottled water and paying for hotel rooms for residents affected by the drilling problem.