Erie County Times

The Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority (PENNVEST) will be funding $269 million in investments for 11 drinking water, wastewater, stormwater and non-point source projects across 10 counties in Pennsylvania.

According to a July 20 press release by Gov. Tom Wolf, the funding is from a combination of voter-approved state funds, Growing Greener, Marcellus Legacy funds, federal grants to PENNVEST from the Environmental Protection Agency and recycled loan repayments from other PENNVEST funding awards.

“With federal investments like the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act expected later this year, I am excited to see communities investing in their water systems now,” said Wolf.  “Federal investments, paired with the continued financial commitment of this commonwealth, are literally changing communities for the better every day.”

Wolf also said that the “concerted effort” to improve the infrastructure around the country shows the importance of investments like these. 

“Pennsylvanians have been leading the way in making responsible, reliable infrastructure improvements for years and this administration has been a proud partner to those communities,” Wolf said. “These investments will result in generational change to our clean water facilities and are representative of the many efforts of this administration to prioritize environmental stewardship and advancement.”

Drinking water projects:

In Allegheny County, a loan of $209,005,329 is going to Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority to build projects in its Water Reliability Plan. This involves restoring the Clearwell, which is a large water chlorination facility that is a century old.

In Cambria County, Northern Cambria Municipal Authority is receiving a loan of $1,128,459 and a grant of $10,610,696 to replace a mine source vault and also build a treatment plant to treat the mine source water at the Miller Hollow water treatment facility. It will also go toward addressing the Department of Environmental Protection Consent Order and Agreement.

In Luzerne County, Hazleton City Authority received a $3,500,000 loan for operation upgrades at its treatment facility. This involves replacing four raw water drive pumps and a lime chemical feed system. There will also be system control equipment and electrical components installed.

In McKean County, Hazel Hurst Water Company received a $25,647 loan and $927,788 grant for the construction of a new well and water treatment facility. There will also be the installation of transmission waterlines, automatic controls and a backup generator. The project will also replace a deteriorating well.

Wastewater projects

In Crawford County the Meadville Area Sewer Authority received a $3,776,392 loan and a $16,223,608 grant for improvements to a wastewater treatment plant that includes replacing the roof, installing mechanical bar screens, raw wastewater pumps, blowers and other improvements.

In Dauphin County, the Borough of Steelton received a $64,291 loan and a $2,325,709 grant to upgrade the Hoffer Street pump station. This includes the installation of three new pumps and a wet well mixing system, among a series of other improvements.

In McKean County, the Borough of Eldred received a $634,347 loan and a $14,143,757 grant to construct a new wastewater treatment facility. 

In Northumberland County, the Shamokin-Coal Township Joint Sewer Authority received a loan of $80,319 and a grant of $2,905,517to replace anaerobic digester lids at a wastewater treatment plant. 

In Susquehanna County, the Harford Township received a loan of $2,100,000 to rehabilitate and upgrade a wastewater treatment plant. 

Stormwater projects

In Beaver County, the Borough of Midland received a loan of $944,400 to install about 150 feet of 48-inch high-density polyethylene line inside a failing 72-inch storm sewer line. It will address a failing storm sewer system that is causing erosion in an environmental justice community.

Non-point source projects, 

In Lebanon County, the Lancaster County Conservation District received a grant of $606,823 for the installation of a circular concrete waste storage structure and associated improvements at the Amos Esh dairy farm in Jackson. The project is expected to reduce 4,044 pounds of sediment, 3,753 pounds of nitrogen, and 1,617 pounds of phosphorus each year.