HARRISBURG, PA, Oct. 29, 2015 -- Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf recently announced the investment of $51.7 million for 10 critical drinking water, wastewater and non-point source projects across eight counties through the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority (PENNVEST).
"The PENNVEST Board of Directors made another significant investment in much-needed environmental improvement across the Commonwealth," said Wolf. "Abundant clean water is critical to the health of both our follow Pennsylvanians and the economy of this great Commonwealth."
The funding comes from a combination of state funds approved by voters, federal grants to PENNVEST from the Environmental Protection Agency and recycled loan repayments from previous funding awards. Funds for the projects are disbursed after bills for work are paid and receipts are submitted to PENNVEST.
Of the $51.7 million, $31.0 million is allocated for low-interest loans and $20.7 million is awarded through grants. A list of project summaries follows:
Drinking Water Projects
Armstrong County
- Manor Township Joint Municipal Authority received an $8.5-million loan to construct a new water treatment plant that will replace the Authority's existing 58 year-old plant that cannot produce enough safe drinking water to meet peak demand and is otherwise in very poor condition.
Schuylkill County
- Mahanoy Township Authority received a $2.8-million loan to rehabilitate the Authority's unsafe reservoir dam, make improvements to a deteriorated spillway, and install modern water meters for customers throughout its distribution system.
- Schuylkill County Municipal Authority received a $489,950 loan and a $3,210,050 grant to extend a drinking water distribution line to the Village of Newtown in Reilly Township, where homes are served by private drinking water wells that are subject to contamination from minerals in the soil as well as nearby malfunctioning on-lot septic systems.
PENNVEST Wastewater Projects
Armstrong County
- West Hills Area Water Pollution Control Authority received a $6,603,500 loan to construct various sewage treatment system modifications in order to eliminate discharges of untreated sewage into the Allegheny River that occur during wet weather.
Bedford County
- East Providence Township Municipal Authority received a $375,000 loan and a $3,785,000 grant to make various improvements to its existing wastewater treatment plant that will improve the quality of its wastewater discharges and bring the plant into compliance with regulatory requirements.
Cambria County
- Johnstown City received a $10.9-million grant to construct more than six miles of sewage collection lines and related facilities in order to eliminate discharges of untreated sewage into the Conemaugh River that occur during wet weather.
Clearfield County
- Curwensville Municipal Authority received a $2.5-million grant to rehabilitate more than two miles of sewage collection lines that are currently subject to water infiltration and inflows during wet weather and, as a result, discharge untreated waste water into publicly accessible areas.
Somerset County
- Windber Borough received a $1,197,000 loan to construct more than a mile of sewage collection lines along with 35 manholes and other facilities in order to eliminate the discharge of untreated sewage into publicly accessible areas that occurs during wet weather.
Washington County
- Peters Township Sanitary Authority received an $11-million loan to construct a new wastewater treatment plant that will replace the Authority's existing outdated and deteriorated treatment plant that is subject to wet weather overflows and discharges untreated wastewater into Cannonsburg Lake.
Non-point Source Water Quality Improvement Projects
Lancaster County
- Elmer M. King received a $385,490 grant to construct a new manure storage facility and other improvements on a dairy operation where there is uncontrolled manure runoff from the existing concrete cattle lot. Also, there is currently no manure storage capacity, which results in manure spreading during winter and other times of the year when the soil is relatively impervious. All of these conditions currently cause manure and the nutrients it contains to run off into Octoraro Creek and ultimately the Chesapeake Bay.
See also:
"PA American Water launches millions in critical water pipeline upgrades"
"PA DEP offers grant program to improve stormwater management, water quality"
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