Gov. Wolf Announces $121 Million Investment in Water Infrastructure Projects in 20 Counties

Harrisburg, PA  – (RealEstateRama) — Governor Tom Wolf today announced the investment of $121 million for 25 drinking water, wastewater and non-point source projects across 20 counties through the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority (PENNVEST).

“Clean water is the keystone for strong, vibrant communities,” said Governor Wolf. “The approvals announced today show our continued commitment to investments in clean water for Pennsylvania by supporting our citizens and strengthening our communities.”

The funding comes from a combination of state funds approved by voters, Growing Greener, Marcellus Legacy funds, federal grants to PENNVEST from the Environmental Protection Agency and recycled loan repayments from previous PENNVEST funding awards. Funds for these projects are disbursed after expenses for work are paid and receipts are submitted to PENNVEST for review.

“These projects benefit public health, the environment, and support sustainable communities as we advance our shared goal of clean water, safe environment and prosperous communities for our families to enjoy, both now and for future generations,” said Governor Wolf.

A list of project summaries follows:

Drinking Water Projects

Bradford County

•  Towanda Municipal Authority*- received a $4,736,700 loan to develop three new well sources, a one million gallon per day membrane filtration plant, 107,000-gallon storage tank, 7,500 feet of raw water transmission main, a booster pump station rehabilitation, 6,780 transmission main replacement and related appurtenances. The project will address a 47 percent water loss, increase reliability, provide for adequate fire protection, and secure the raw water supply.

Butler County

• Slippery Rock Municipal Authority*- received a $1,622,500 loan to install approximately 5,500 feet of waterline and associated appurtenances. The project will address unaccounted for water loss and improve service reliability. This line replacement project is being coordinated with a PennDOT paving project.

Crawford County

•  Meadville Area Water Authority*- received a $3,000,000 loan to replace approximately 5,885 feet of water lines, install new service connections, and 46 new system valves, 12 fire hydrants are to be replaced or updated. The project will provide operational efficiencies, reduce high unaccounted-for water loss, increase service reliability and support economic development opportunities in the area.

Indiana County

•  Clymer Borough Municipal Authority*- received a $1,067,768 loan and a 1,109,732 grant to install a forced draft aerator to remove hydrogen sulfide prior to filtration; replace a storage tank and above ground clearwell, 7,750 feet of leaking waterline and fire hydrants. The project will reduce unaccounted for water loss, improve service reliability, reduce issues with taste and odor and remove exposure to potential drinking water contamination.

Schuylkill County

• Hazelton City Authority*- received a $1,519,841 loan to rehabilitate a number of drinking water storage tanks, install security measures and replacement of worn tank components. The project will improve reliability of service, emergency back-up power and reduce long-term maintenance costs.

Sullivan County

• Laporte Borough – received a $394,775 loan to install individual meters and meter pits. The project will allow better system operations, detect leaks and determine true unaccounted-for water loss.

Wastewater Projects

Allegheny County

• Elizabeth Borough Municipal Authority**- received an $8,800,000 loan to install a new pump station with additional wet well and channel capacity to accommodate wet weather flows. The project will reduce wet weather overflows in the Monongahela River reducing impact on downstream drinking water supplies.

Beaver County

• Rochester Area Joint Sewer Authority**- received a $35,407,759 loan and a $1,592,241 grant to construct sewage treatment plant, Center Street, West Madison and Freedom pump station upgrades and add a detention tank to eliminate wet weather overflows.

Butler County

•  Allegheny Clarion Valley Development Corporation **- received a $920,570 loan to construct a 42,000 gallon per day sewage lift station and a 22,500 gallon per day extended aeration wastewater treatment train to augment the existing facilities to eliminate the overloading of the current facilities and provide for compliance with a Consent Order and Agreement with the Department of Environmental Protection.
• Slippery Rock Municipal Authority **- received a $1,622,500 loan to replace approximately 2,050 feet of sanitary sewer force main, 600 feet of gravity sewers and replace a belt filter press at the treatment plant. The project will eliminate combined sewer overflows due to force main breaks, plugged lines, addressing issues with untreated or partially treated sewerage discharges during wet weather events, and replace the belt filter press that is at the end of its useful life. The line work on this project is being coordinated with a PennDOT paving project.

Cambria County

•  City of Johnstown** – received a $4,535,490 loan and a grant of $6,364,510 to replace and rehabilitate approximately 30,000 feet of sanitary sewers and lateral lines in the Old Conemaugh and Hornerstown areas of the City of Johnstown. The project will reduce wet weather overflows of raw sewage into Stony Creek and Little Conemaugh River and help satisfy the Consent Order and Agreement with the Department of Environmental Protection.

Clarion County

• Knox Township Municipal Authority**- received a $1,529,923 loan and a $1,604,077 grant to construct 10,100 feet of sanitary sewer main, 43 concrete manholes, house laterals, one grinder pump and a recirculating sand filter treatment facility. The project will eliminate malfunctioning on-lot systems, documented at 57 percent, and wildcat discharges in the service area affecting local drinking water wells contaminated with fecal coliform.

Dauphin County

•  Lower Paxton Township** – received a $13,278,195 loan to repair, rehabilitate, replace, and line approximately 41,200 feet of sanitary sewer mains, associated manholes, laterals as well as constructing sewers in four Beaver Creek mini-basins and sewer rehabilitation in two Spring Creek mini-basins for an additional 18,300 feet.

Elk County

•  Benezette Township – received a $249,660 loan and a $350,340 grant to construct an effluent metered manhole, flow-paced chemical feed pumps, air diffusers, two new sludge dewatering reed beds, and a pre-treatment facility. The project will address operational issues at the treatment plant and eliminate partially treated effluent from entering a tributary of Sinnemahoning Creek.

Mercer County

• Perry Township – received a $2,221,956 loan and a $2,878,044 grant to construct 28,000 feet of pressure sewers, residential grinder pumps and a 46,000 gallon per day wastewater treatment plant to provide service to the Hadley and Camp Perry areas. The Clarks Mill area will receive 2,100 feet of gravity sewers to 14 customers and will be served by a community on-lot disposal system. The project will address failing on-lot systems and wildcat sewers in the proposed service areas. Almost 60 percent of the on-lot systems were determined to be malfunctioning, resulting in public health issues related to untreated sewage in publically accessible areas.

Montgomery County

• Franconia Sewer Authority **- received a $4,608,000 loan to install 22,350 feed of pressure sewers in Morwood Village, 4,350 feet of pressure sewers along Allentown and Indian Creek Roads and 1,850 feet of gravity sewers along Rittenhouse Place and Indian Creek Road.

Schuylkill County

• Hegins Hubley Authority – received a $2,000,000 loan to pay for cost associated with design and engineering for collection and treatment facilities to serve areas of Hegins and Hubley Townships. Preliminary engineering indicates over 166,610 feet of gravity sewers, 21,564 of low-pressure sewers and seven pump stations will be needed for the collection system, as well as a 600,000 gallons per day wastewater treatment facility. The project will address a high failure rate of on-lot treatment systems discharging untreated sewage into publically accessible areas.

Somerset County

• Confluence Borough Municipal Authority **- received a $5,310,615 loan and a $4,365,635 grant to replace the existing sewage conveyance system, and construct improvements to the sewage treatment facilities to eliminate combined sewer overflows into the Youghiogheny River, and comply with the Consent Order and Agreement with the Department of Environmental Protection.

Washington County

• Peters Townshp Sanitary Authority*- received a loan of $4,700,000 to pay for realignment and upgrades to the Giant Oaks and Oakwood Road interceptors, replace the existing Shoreline Drive sewer conveyance system, construct a new pump station, and replace failed sewer lines in the Hidden Brook area. The project will reduce or eliminate wet weather discharges of untreated sewage discharges to Chartiers Creek tributary and complies with a corrective action plan approved by the Department of Environmental Protection.

Westmoreland County

• Derry Township Municipal Authority – received a $1,828,060, loan to construct a new sewage collection system to serve residents in the Oasis and Lower Flowers Road areas and connect the Keystone State Park to the New Alexandria treatment plant. The project will address the health-related issues with malfunctioning on-lot systems.

Storm Water Projects

Armstrong County

•  West Kittanning Borough – received a $470,000 loan to replace 1,440 feet of existing storm sewers along Pine Hill Road. The project will address the safety hazards associated with storm water flows causing sinkholes and roadway hazards.

Dauphin County

• Halifax Borough – received a $821,789 loan and $1,153,202 grant to construct approximately 3,108 feet of storm sewers with 37 inlets and a rain garden to improve drainage and decrease area flooding.

Delaware County

• Prospect Park Borough – received a $909,592 loan and $111,688 grant to construct approximately 1,630 feet of new storm sewers, rehabilitation of approximately 138 feet of storm sewers, 18 inlets, eight manholes, and a rain garden. The project will alleviate flooding on private property, runoff into streams and replace undersized storm sewers.

Non-point Source Water Quality Improvement Projects

Lancaster County

• Chester County Conservation District – received a $695,838 loan to pay for a circular concrete manure storage facility, roofed stacking structure, barnyard and curbing with confinement fence, roofed heavy use area, gravel access road, roof cutters, downspouts, and reinforced gravel animal walkway on the Clair Good property. The project is expected to eliminate over 8,000 pounds of nitrogen, 3,529 pounds of phosphorus and 10,180 pounds of sediment from Cedar Creek a tributary to the Conestoga River, and Susquehanna River.
• Chester County Conservation District – received a $469,308 grant to cover the costs related to construction of manure storage facilities, heavy use areas, walkways and storm water controls on the Benuel Stoltzfus property. The project is expected to eliminate 6,612 pounds of nitrogen, 2,789 pounds of phosphorus and 5,660 pounds of sediment from entering the Little Conestoga Creek, a tributary to the Conestoga River and the Susquehanna River.

* denotes projects that have Drinking Water State Revolving Funds
** denotes projects that are funded with Clean Water State Revolving Funds

For more information, visit www.pennvest.pa.gov or call 717-783-6798.