Where that water from the Chester Water Authority comes from

I think they say what "goes around, comes around."

I think that also applies to your roots. You can't escape them.

I happen to have grown up in a small town out in the furthermost edges of southern Chester County.

It's called Oxford. It's a stone's throw from Maryland. And Lancaster County.

But sitting right there between Chester and Lancaster counties is a link to Delaware County that brought a smile - and some old memories - flooding back to me this week.

You may have noticed that we have been covering a fairly big development on the Delaware County business scene.

Aqua America was making a $250 million bid to buy one of the icons of Delco industry, the Chester Water Authority.

The Chester Water Authority provides water to more than 42,000 customers in 17 of Delaware County's 49 municipalities, including Chester, Aston, Glen Mills and more than 30 other towns.

But here's the thing that I always delighted in telling people whenever I learned that they got their water from the Chester Water Authority. I always ask them if they know, when they turn on their spigot, where that beautiful, sparkling water comes from. It does not come from Chester.

It does come from Chester County.

Actually, much of it comes from the Octoraro Reservoir, which is right outside of good, old Oxford, Pa.

It runs in a pipeline that pretty much snakes along the path of Route 1 all the way into Delaware County.

I then proceed to "confess" to people all the things I have done in that water. Yes, I have been chased out of the reservoir more times than I care to remember.

I have gone swimming in that water; I have fished in that water. And, in truth, I've done a few other things in that water that don't need to be mentioned in this blog.

Route 472 was the two-lane strip that went across the reservoir and connected Chester and Lancaster counties. It was a flat stretch that turned out to be a nearly perfect drag strip for teen racers.

Yes, we did that, too.

Today we are reporting that Chester Water Authority rejected that $250 million bid from Aqua America. I am glad. I don't have anything against Aqua, I just like the idea of telling people where the water that feeds the Chester Water Authority comes from.

Like I said, goes around, comes around ...

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