Cumberland County issues Declaration of Disaster Emergency

Cumberland County Declaration of Disaster Emergency

More than 42,000 Pennsylvania American Water customers affected

The Cumberland County Board of Commissioners issued a Declaration of Disaster Emergency on Saturday after a water main break impacted more than 42,000 Pennsylvania American Water customers in the county. The water main break was a result of the remnants of tropical cyclone Debby, which caused extensive flash flooding and impacts to critical infrastructure.

This declaration allows Cumberland County officials to purchase needed supplies, employ temporary workers, and enter into contracts and agreements with vendors without the “time-consuming procedures and formalities normally prescribed by law.”

According to Pennsylvania American Water, customers affected in the Mechanicsburg system include Camp Hill, Lemoyne, New Cumberland, Shiremanstown, West Fairview and Wormleysburg boroughs, and East Pennsboro, Hampden, Lower Allen, Silver Spring townships, and portions of Middlesex and Upper Allen townships in Cumberland County, as well as portions of Fairview and Newberry townships in York County.

The impact of the water main break caused a loss of water pressure in 3 of the 4 acute care facilities within the county. Emergency management measures are required to reduce the severity of this impact and to protect the health, safety, and welfare of affected residents in Cumberland County.

Activation of Cumberland County Department of Public Safety’s Emergency Operations Center

The Cumberland County Department of Public Safety’s Emergency Operations Center was activated on Friday, Aug. 9, 2024, at 11 p.m., and continues to monitor the situation. The county will continue to work with its partners at the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency, Public Utility Commission, and Pennsylvania American Water until the situation is resolved.

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators Analysis

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation
• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
• SDG 13: Climate Action

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

• SDG 6.1: By 2030, achieve universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water for all.
• SDG 11.5: By 2030, significantly reduce the number of deaths and the number of people affected and substantially decrease the direct economic losses relative to global gross domestic product caused by disasters, including water-related disasters, with a focus on protecting the poor and people in vulnerable situations.
• SDG 13.1: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

Yes, the article mentions the following indicators:

• Number of Pennsylvania American Water customers affected by the water main break (indicator for SDG 6.1)
• Loss of water pressure in acute care facilities within the county (indicator for SDG 11.5)
• Activation of the Cumberland County Department of Public Safety’s Emergency Operations Center (indicator for SDG 11.5)

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators Table

Source: wgal.com