Harrisburg, PA – Today, the Shapiro Administration announced the investment of $116.6 million for 22 drinking water, wastewater, and non-point source projects across 19 counties through the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority (PENNVEST).
"Every Pennsylvanian has a Constitutional right to clean air and pure water, but far too many communities here in Pennsylvania suffer from old and outdated lead pipes that endanger the health of our children and families," said Governor Josh Shapiro. "My Administration is committed to safeguarding this right by making critical investments that will deliver clean drinking to families across the Commonwealth, especially in communities that have been left behind for too long. This is an important step forward in protecting Pennsylvania's water infrastructure and delivering a clean water supply to every resident and business who calls Pennsylvania home."
The funding for these projects originates from a combination of state funds approved by voters, Growing Greener, Marcellus Legacy funds, the Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act, federal grants to PENNVEST from the U.S. 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.
"Clean water is the lifeblood of our communities. It is essential for our residents' health, our businesses' growth, and the overall prosperity of Pennsylvanians" said PENNVEST Chairman Dr. Brian Regli. "We must continue to invest in modern and resilient clean water infrastructure to safeguard our future. Under the direction of Governor Shapiro, we continually seek ways to prioritize the maintenance and improvement of our water infrastructure to enhance the quality of life for all Pennsylvanians."
A list of project summaries follows:
Drinking Water Projects
Allegheny County
- ***Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority – received a $4,599,382 loan and a $10,005,618 grant to replace lead service lines at approximately 1,200 homes. The project will contribute to the protection of adults and children from lead.
Blair County
- *Bellwood Borough Authority – received a $5,785,595 loan to replace approximately, 8,560 feet of 8-inch, 10,980 feet of 6-inch, 60 feet of 4-inch, and 10 feet of 3-inch ductile iron water distribution mains and associated valves, as well as 21 fire hydrants, service connections and appurtenances. The project will result in improved reliability of service to the community.
Cambria County
- ***Highland Sewer and Water Authority – received a $2,220,780 loan and a $11,513,700 grant to replace over 52,000 feet of water lines, 180 water service taps, and 265 water service meters, plus associated vaults, system gate valves, hydrants, blow-offs, air release valves, fittings, and appurtenances. The project will result in reduced water loss and improved maintenance of the community's public water system.
Clearfield County
- Irvona Municipal Authority – received a $1,234,432 loan and a $465,568 grant to replace 14,000 feet of asbestos and cement waterline with new polyvinyl chloride waterline and appurtenances. The project improvements will ensure delivery of safe drinking water to the community's residents.
Erie County
- ***Erie City Water Authority – received a $1,889,510 loan and a $4,110,490 grant to replace approximately 850 service connections consisting of cast iron pipe attached to water mains by lead goosenecks. The project will contribute to the protection of adults and children from lead.
Indiana County
- ***Indiana County Municipal Services Authority – received a $6,820,650 grant to upgrade its water treatment and distribution systems within Creekside Borough and Rayne, Washington, and White Townships including a new 35-foot diameter clarifier to be installed along the raw water intake line at the Crooked Creek water treatment plant. The project will result in improved water conservation and service reliability throughout the project area.
Lehigh County
- ***Lehigh County Authority – received a $1,555,508 loan and a $3,383,892 grant to replace 149 private and 1 public lead and/or galvanized service lines in the City of Allentown. The project will contribute to the eliminated risk of potential lead exposure to adults and children.
McKean County
- *Eldred Borough Water Authority – received a $3,792,642 grant to replace approximately 9,600 feet of existing distribution waterline with polyvinyl chloride waterline, 12 fire hydrants, and related appurtenances. The project will result in improved water supply and service reliability to the community.
Wastewater Projects
Armstrong County
- **East Franklin Township – received a $1,771,562 grant to construct a new 7,000-foot sanitary sewer line extension along Toy, Booher, and Claypoole Roads. Once connected to the West Hills Area Water Pollution Control Authority system, the extension will lead to the decommissioning of the existing Fox Hollow treatment plant, which has been experiencing hydraulic and organic overloading and addressing effluent violations documented by the Department of Environmental Protection.
Bedford County
- **Hopewell Borough– received a $44,110 loan and an $877,890 grant to replace the existing treatment plant with an extended aeration prepackaged plant. The project will result in increased system processing efficiency and address current effluent quality violations.
Blair County
- Hollidaysburg Sewer Authority – received a $3,905,707 loan to install approximately 2,815 feet of sanitary line and 2,252 feet of storm line and all associated appurtenances to separate sanitary and storm water flows. The project will address combined sewer overflows.
Clarion County
- Epiphany Environmental, LLC – received a $6,100,000 loan to acquire an existing metals separation pre-treatment facility and upgrade to a high-salinity water treatment system capable of treating up to 60,000 gallons of brine per day. The project upgrades will reduce the reliance on well disposal or treated discharges to waters of the Commonwealth.
Crawford County
- ***Conneaut Lake Joint Municipal Authority – received an $8,100,000 loan to install 2,300 feet of new 12-inch high-density polyethylene pipe force main and make upgrades at a pump station to include new valves, electrical control panels, emergency generator, existing wet well hatch, new headworks and generator building, sludge press, and rehabilitation of the primary clarifier. The project will address components reaching the end of their useful operating life and will improve efficiency of the facility.
Dauphin County
- **Highspire Borough Authority – received a $274,100 loan and a $1,878,124 grant to demolish the primary digester and building, and construct a new digester and dewatering building, a new shelter for the sludge cake dumpster, two new common wall digester tanks, new sludge transfer from thickeners to digesters, and new digester supernatant transfer from digesters to headworks. The replacement of this aging equipment will improve the systems efficiency and reduce maintenance costs significantly.
Luzerne County
- Borough of Freeland Municipal Authority – received a $1,509,000 loan to replace the existing dewatering system with a new screw press, a liquid polymer metering system, an incline screw conveyor, associated controls needed to operate these system components, and a new steel access platform for the new system. The upgraded system will reduce processing costs and improve the efficiency of operations.
- **Greater Hazleton Joint Sewer Authority – received a $6,727,000 loan to separate a combined sewer system and replace a critical force main through the installation of approximately 11,000 feet of new sanitary sewer, 77 sanitary sewer manholes, and 3,000 feet of new force main. The project will address combined sewer overflows affecting Cranberry Creek during wet weather conditions.
McKean County
- ***Borough of Eldred – received a $4,673,569 grant to replace 9,650 feet of existing sanitary sewer collection pipe and both Barden Brook and Shields pump stations. The project will address excessive infiltration due to cracks and breaks of the terra cotta and vitrified clay pipe that has reached the end of useful life.
Perry County
- Duncannon Borough Municipal Authority – received a $528,245 loan to install a sludge dewatering screw press, polymer mixing system, and control panel, replace and floodproof a sludge pump, and rehabilitate the plant's water system. The project will address components reaching the end of their useful life and will improve efficiency of the facility.
Schuylkill County
- Frackville Area Municipal Authority – received a $1,215,000 loan to replace the existing pump station and utilize new gravity sewer mains to convey wastewater to the existing treatment plant including placement of 2,160 feet of 10-inch sanitary sewer lines, 11 manholes, 1,100 feet of low-pressure sewer line, 2 grinder pumps and lateral connections. The project will address components reaching the end of their useful life and will improve the system's treatment and conveyance of wastewater.
Somerset County
- Salisbury Borough – received an $877,000 loan to replace pumps, check valves, screening system, piping, and an emergency generator at the treatment plant. The project will address components reaching the end of useful operating life and will improve efficiency of the facility.
Westmoreland County
- **North Huntingdon Township Municipal Authority – received a $20,000,000 loan to replace an existing treatment facility including construction of a new centralized process lift station, headworks facility for screening and grit removal, a Sequencing Batch Reactor unit process with biological nutrient removal capabilities, an ultraviolet disinfection and effluent water storage facility, and a sludge dewatering building. The construction of a new facility and necessary new components will replace an existing treatment system that was constructed in the 1970s and is unable to meet the needs of the service area.
Non-Point Source Projects
Chester County
- **Chester County Conservation District – received a $916,284 grant to install a 12-foot by 72-foot concrete manure storage tank, a roofed heavy-use area, a stabilized stream crossing, a 48-foot by 50-foot roofed manure storage area, approximately 310 feet of manure transfer line, 285 feet of reinforced gravel access road, 400 feet of reinforced gravel animal walkway, roof gutters, downspouts, underground outlets, and approximately 2.6 acres of riparian forest buffer at a dairy farm in Honey Brook Township. During the project approved Best Management Practices will be implemented and an estimated 2,298 pounds of sediment, 4,791 pounds of nitrogen, and 2,050 pounds of phosphorus will be reduced annually from entering Two Log Run.
* denotes projects that are funded with federal Drinking Water State Revolving Funds
** denotes projects that are funded with federal Clean Water State Revolving Funds
*** denotes projects that are funded by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act
MEDIA CONTACT: Robert Boos, 717.783.4493