HARRISBURG, Pa., Oct. 26, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Governor Tom Corbett today announced the investment of $84 million in 18 non-point source, drinking water, and wastewater projects in 14 counties.  

"These investments approved by the PENNVEST board will protect Pennsylvania residents from water-borne disease and improve the quality of our lakes and rivers," Corbett said. "These investments not only protect our vital natural resources but also contribute to our economic recovery."

Of the $84 million total, $69 million is for low-interest loans and $15 million is offered as grants.

The awards include a $15.25 million loan to upgrade a drinking water facility in Lancaster County that does not meet drinking water quality standards, as well as significant funding for other projects to prevent the discharge of sewage into waterways during wet weather.

The funding approved today comes from a combination of commonwealth funds approved by voter referenda, federal grants to PENNVEST from the Environmental Protection agency and recycled loan repayments from previous PENNVEST funding awards. Funds for the projects are disbursed after bills for work are paid and receipts are submitted to PENNVEST.

For more information about PENNVEST, visit www.pennvest.state.pa.us.

Editor's Note: A list of project summaries follows:

PENNVEST Non-Point Source Projects:

Berks County
Berks County Conservation District received a $764,980 loan construct a manure solids separation system, a composting facility and a 1.7 million-gallon lagoon and cover at Kurtland Farms to reduce nutrient runoff into a nearby stream. It also received a $300,514 loan to construct a manure storage tank and a steam buffer in order to reduce nutrient runoff into a nearby stream.

Lancaster County
Lancaster County Conservation District received a $518,855 grant to construct manure storage tanks on three farms that will provide enough storage to eliminate the need to apply the manure to fields during the winter, thus reducing nutrient runoff into nearby streams.

PENNVEST Drinking Water Projects:

Adams County
Adams Township Water Authority received a $700,000 loan to replace more than a mile of water distribution lines to reduce significant water losses and eliminate the use of asbestos water lines.

Lancaster County
Columbia Water Company received a $15.25 million loan to upgrade and expand its water treatment plant to meet current and anticipated drinking water standards.

Monroe County
East Stroudsburg Borough received a $943,000 loan to make improvements to ensure that its water-supply dam, which is considered to be a "high hazard" dam, will not fail; thus ensuring the continued provision of drinking water to system customers and avoiding a catastrophic failure of the dam.

Somerset County
Central City Water Authority received an $885,604 loan to construct more than three miles of new water distribution lines and construct a new water storage tank to eliminate water losses and ensure a safe and adequate supply of drinking water to residents in the Village of Rockingham and Shade Township. The project will also help preserve 125 jobs at a local coal facility.

PENNVEST Wastewater Projects:

Armstrong County
Mahoning Township received a $775,000 loan and a $597,346 grant to install more than two miles of new wastewater collection lines and rehabilitate various portions of the wastewater collection system in order to eliminate the use of malfunctioning on-lot septic systems and wildcat sewers that discharge untreated waste into a tributary of Mahoning Creek.

Beaver County
Baden Borough Municipal Authority received a $9,915,500 loan to upgrade its sewage treatment plant in order to eliminate the discharge of untreated sewage into Tevebaugh Run during wet weather.

Berks County
Richmond Township received a $631,849 loan and a $1,095,351 grant to construct a new sewage treatment system in order to eliminate the use of malfunctioning on-lot septic systems that are contaminating streams that flow into Lake Ontelaunee, which is the City of Reading's drinking-water supply.

Blair County
Freedom Township Water and Sewer Authority received a $13,158,354 loan and a $1,915,042 grant to upgrade and expand its wastewater treatment plant to eliminate the discharge of inadequately treated waste during wet weather and to meet nitrogen and phosphorous discharge requirements to protect local streams and the Chesapeake Bay.

Lebanon County
Annville Township received a $14.2 million loan to upgrade its wastewater treatment plant in order to meet discharge requirements for nitrogen and phosphorous to protect local streams and the Chesapeake Bay.

Luzerne County
Hanover Township received a $1.2 million loan to construct almost two miles of sewage collection line and make other system improvements in order to eliminate the use of malfunctioning on-lot septic systems that discharge inadequately treated sewage into publicly accessible areas.

Lycoming County
Loyalsock Township received a $3,061,161 loan and a $7,938,839 grant to install more than two miles of sewage collection lines and to upgrade and expand existing sewage treatment facilities in order eliminate wet weather discharges of waste into residents' basements as well as into Bull Run and the Susquehanna River.

Northumberland County
Furmano Foods received a $9 million loan to upgrade and expand its wastewater-treatment facility meet Chesapeake Bay nutrient discharge limits as well as meet peak production demands.  This will allow the company to create 36 new jobs and preserve 39 existing jobs at the plant.

Mount Carmel Municipal Authority received a $1,508,726 loan to construct more than a mile of wastewater collection and stormwater conveyance lines in order separate the two systems, which will eliminate raw sewage discharges into Butternut and Shamokin creeks that occur during wet weather.

Venango County
Rouseville Borough received a $1,162,500 grant to upgrade and expand its wastewater treatment plant in order to eliminate discharges of inadequately treated waste during wet weather.

Westmoreland County
Vandergrift Borough received a $4,175,000 grant to install more than two miles of sewage collection lines and almost a mile of stormwater conveyance lines in order to separate these two systems and eliminate discharges of inadequately treated sewage into the Kiskiminetas River during wet weather.

SOURCE Pennsylvania Office of the Governor