Radnor Township Board of Health Meeting - April 20, 2026

The Radnor Township Board of Health met on Monday, April 20, 2026, at 5:30 PM in the Radnorshire Room. The board approved the December 2025 minutes, reviewed March and April health observances and communicable disease updates, heard student intern research updates, and received a detailed Environmental Advisory Council (EAC) presentation on chloride and conductivity in tap water and streams. New business items included an RTSD update, the new food pyramid, board recruitment, and a proposed future focus on AI and adolescent mental health.

Call to Order & Minutes Approval

• The meeting was called to order with the Pledge of Allegiance.
• December 2025 minutes were approved by motion and second with no revisions.
• February 2026 minutes were not available, so no action was taken on them.
• The board noted it had not met in March.

Organizational Issues & Health Dates

• March observances included National Nutrition Month, National Kidney Month, Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, Brain Injury Awareness Month, Autoimmune Awareness Month, Endometriosis Awareness Month, Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Month, Gambling Problem Awareness Month, and National Women's History Month; key weeks included National Sleep Awareness Week (March 8-14) and National Poison Prevention Week (March 15-21).
• April observances included World Health Day (April 7), National Public Health Week (April 6-12), World Immunization Week (April 24-30), Stress Awareness Month, Alcohol Awareness Month, Minority Health Month, and Autism Acceptance Month.
• A board member added that Wellness Week at the Willows was taking place April 19-23 with free programs.

Communicable Disease Update

• According to county data from Maggie, respiratory viruses including RSV, influenza A, and COVID are very low in the county; RSV remains slightly elevated in infants but is declining. Wastewater data confirms the downward trend.
• Allergic rhinitis and asthma are currently elevated; the board recommended nasal saline rinses and allergen reduction measures.
• Tick-borne disease update: at least half of tick-borne disease hospitalizations are from Lyme disease and babesiosis; precautions include protective clothing, staying on paths, checking for ticks, and using a hot dryer for clothing.
• A wastewater monitoring article noted human metapneumovirus (HMPV) detected at the Chester DeCloro treatment plant in Delaware County and the University Park water reclamation plant in Centre County; HMPV has no vaccine and can be serious for young children, older adults, and immunocompromised people. The board noted HMPV is also declining in wastewater.

Student Intern Program Update

• Intern 1 is studying sleep and adolescence and its connection to academic performance; she has interviewed a pediatrician at Boston Children's Hospital and a Harvard neurology professor and is organizing the research into a PowerPoint.
• Intern 2 is studying family health history and cancer screening awareness; he has completed interviews with professionals from Moore's Children's Hospital, Jefferson, and Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and is compiling strategies such as pre-made toolkits and library awareness talks into a report.
• Both interns are expected to present their projects at the May or June meeting.

EAC Presentation: Chloride Concentration & Conductivity of Tap Water

• Dan Burnham, Chair of the Environmental Advisory Council, presented preliminary data and thanked Melissa Safin and Dr. Acker for coordinating.
• Tap water in the township comes from a combination of surface water and groundwater; Aqua Pennsylvania draws from local creeks and rivers and about 100 wells.
• Tap water samples from eight EAC residences from February 5 through late March showed chloride around 100 mg/L at Burnham's home; estimated sodium chloride in tap water declined from roughly 200 mg/L to 130 mg/L during March. Under stated assumptions, this translates to 79-51 mg/L of sodium, exceeding the EPA's 20 mg/L recommended limit for people on very low sodium diets.
• Stream sampling near Radnor High School, Route 30, the Blue Route, and Ithan Creek versus Darby Creek/Willows/Skunk Hollow showed chloride and conductivity tracked closely. Chloride increased 10-30% from October to March; 25% of stream sites exceeded the EPA's 230 mg/L chloride threshold in October, rising to 68% in March. February conductivity was even higher than March.
• The EAC attributed the pattern to road salt runoff and decades-long contamination of groundwater; streams near major roads were higher in chloride than more rural Darby Creek tributaries. The EAC noted mayflies and caddisflies were present in Skunk Hollow but other streams appeared visually sterile.
• Recommendations included continued testing, sampling bottled water, summer sampling, and reverse osmosis filtration at home or at stores like Whole Foods. The EAC noted Aqua Pennsylvania is installing activated carbon treatment for PFAS, but it will not remove sodium.
• Burnham mentioned Stroud Water Research Center's similar stream sampling and said he would ask whether they test tap water.

New Business

• RTSD update: flu is down in all five district buildings and attendance is improving; seasonal allergies remain an issue. A Karen Foundation parent informational night on student athletes and drug/alcohol use is scheduled for May 14 at Radnor High School. The district will review PAYS survey results for grades 6, 8, 10, and 12 in June to develop a K-12 action plan. The high school's first-year 'off and away' cell phone policy and the middle school's existing policy were described as positive changes.
• Board of Commissioners and County updates were not given because Maggie was absent and Alex was on Zoom but unable to speak.
• The new food pyramid was described as essentially flipping the old pyramid: vegetables and fruits are now the largest recommended category, whole grains are the smallest, and the pattern resembles a Mediterranean diet with healthy fats and proteins.
• The board discussed recruiting additional Board of Health members to maintain a quorum, possibly assigning a student survey project on AI and adolescent mental health to new interns in the fall, and inviting a Villanova health center representative to attend as a consultant/liaison.
• A board member recommended monitoring FDA recalls and mentioned checking specific lots of clonidine patches and 3 mg Xanax XR from Viatris.

Public Comments

• Diana Pope, a Windermere resident, expressed concern about equity: filters and bottled water cost money, meaning those with resources can be healthier. She referenced Flint, Michigan, where saltier water caused lead to leach from pipes, and asked why the water treatment plant was not part of the discussion.
• Board members agreed that filtering matters, noted concerns about pharmaceuticals and other contaminants in water, and observed that bottled water is not a guaranteed safe alternative because of PFAS and particulates.

Key Outcomes

• December 2025 minutes were approved unanimously with no revisions; February minutes were not available.
• The EAC presentation was accepted and will be provided for the meeting record/minutes.
• Future EAC water testing will include extended tap and bottled water sampling, summer samples, and stream sampling after future snowstorms; EAC will also follow up with Stroud Water Research Center.
• Student interns will present their final projects in May or June.
• Future agenda items include AI and adolescent mental health, new Board of Health member applications, and a possible Villanova health consultant/liaison. No formal votes were taken on these future items.