Westmoreland County Partners with Turtle Creek Watershed Association

Westmoreland County, PA - The Westmoreland County Board of Commissioners announced today a partnership with the Turtle Creek Watershed Association (TCWA) to kick start the long sought after cleanup of the Irwin (mine) Discharge located at the border of Irwin Borough and North Huntingdon Township. The partnership is in the form of a loan to acquire a key parcel located near the Pennsylvania Turnpike and Norfolk Southern's rail line in North Huntingdon Township.

The partnership between Westmoreland County and TCWA is the initial step to address the largest untreated abandoned mine discharge in Western Pennsylvania. Once acquired by TCWA, the 50-acre parcel will serve as the location of water treatment system(s) that will effectively eliminate untreated mine water currently contaminating Brush Creek and turning it orange. Brush Creek is a major tributary to Turtle Creek.