SOUTH ABINGTON TOWNSHIP -- The last 10 years have been a waiting game for David Hubble and his family as they wait for the day that their drinking water is clean.
Nearly a decade ago, the Department of Environmental Protection discovered the groundwater in this part of Lackawanna County was contaminated.
"We were able to get filtration systems that allowed us to have water that passes the purity test. There's a lot of hassle with those things constantly being monitored and maintained," Hubble said.
"Oh, it was so bad over at the other end. It was sinful that those people didn't know that their water was contaminated for years," Marilyn O'Leary of Scott Township said.
According to DEP, two companies in the Ivy Industrial Park -- Bostik Inc. and Sandvik Inc. -- are responsible for the contamination.
According to DEP, organic solvents trichloroethylene and tetrachloroethylene were found in the groundwater.
DEP considers both of these solvents volatile organic chemicals. DEP says Bostik Inc. and Sandvik Inc. agreed to pay for a public water line that will run to more than 300 homes that now have wells.
"It's been a very long wait. I think it began back at about 2005, so we've been waiting a long time for this. So, we're happy to be seeing progress being made," Hubble said.
Even though crews are digging up the ground now, the project won't be complete for more than a year.
O'Leary wasn't impacted by the contamination and is not happy about the project.
"I truly understand the need for the water line to be over there, but I don't understand why our roads are being dug up when we don't want it and we haven't had any bad readings," O'Leary said.
While people like O'Leary don't want the project near their home, Hubble is excited to see everything get started.
"It'll be great to be able to have a dependable water supply. It'll be great for opportunities, for resale and that kind of thing. But we're happy to see it happen," Hubble said.
According to DEP, the project is expected to take 18 months. DEP says the pipeline should be fully operational by late spring 2016. DEP expects that all properties will be connected to the line by the end of next summer.