Beaver Run Reservoir, reservoir in Pennsylvania, USA
Beaver Run Reservoir is a drinking water reservoir in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, situated roughly 23 miles (37 km) east of Pittsburgh. It is managed as a protected water supply and sits within a landscape of wooded hills and open water.
The reservoir was built to secure a long-term water supply for the communities growing around Pittsburgh's eastern suburbs. Starting in 1999, gas extraction was permitted on surrounding lands, and deeper drilling into the Marcellus shale layer followed from 2008.
The reservoir feeds the taps of several towns nearby, and for local residents it is part of everyday life rather than a place to visit. This close connection to drinking water shapes how the surrounding land is managed and kept off-limits to the public.
The reservoir and its surrounding land are closed to the public because they form a protected drinking water zone. Views of the water from nearby roads are possible, but there are no official access points, trails, or facilities for visitors.
A chemical spill in 2013 led to soil cleanup efforts on land that is also officially designated as a drinking water protection zone. The coexistence of active gas extraction and protected water supply on the same property is uncommon for a reservoir of this kind.
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