Aberdeen to use water from Deer Creek

Aberdeen City Manager Peter Dacey says the town planned to begin drawing water from Deer Creek over the weekend under an emergency-use certificate approved this month by state environmental officials.

In a document dated July 14, the Susquehanna River Basin Commission - which regulates water use on Susquehanna tributaries - authorized withdrawals of up to 500,000 gallons a day, when available, after the Maryland Department of the Environment declared an emergency because of contamination in Aberdeen's wells. The certificate is good until Aug. 13, said spokeswoman Susan Obleski.

The wells are polluted with the propellant perchlorate, found in incendiary devices and explosives, because of testing at Aberdeen Proving Ground near the city's wells, officials said.