Governor Corbett Announces $98 Million Investment in Water Infrastructure Projects in 19 Counties

HARRISBURG, Pa., Jan. 25, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Governor Tom Corbett today announced the investment of $98 million in 23 non-point source, drinking water, and wastewater projects in 19 counties. 

"The water improvement projects awarded funding by the PENNVEST Board today further our goals of environmental improvement and economic revitalization," Corbett said. "These projects are vital to the future health and wellbeing of citizens all across Pennsylvania and will serve as a lasting legacy to our children and grandchildren."

Of the $98 million total, $71 million is for low-interest loans and $27 million is offered as grants.

The awards include a $28 million grant/loan combination to upgrade a sewage treatment plant in Clinton County that will allow the plant to eliminate the discharge of partially treated sewage into a local stream as well as come into compliance with its Chesapeake Bay nutrient discharge requirements.

The funding approved today 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 PENNVEST funding awards. Funds for the projects are disbursed after bills for work are paid and receipts are submitted to PENNVEST.

For more information, visit http://www.pennvest.state.pa.us/ or call 717-783-6798.

Media contact:  Paul Marchetti, 717-783-4496

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

PENNVEST Non-Point Source Projects:

Allegheny County
Millvale Borough received a $703,525 grant to plant, in conjunction with the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, approximately 850 trees and construct bio-swales in order to control storm water runoff and its pollution into Girty's Run.

Chester County
Chester County Conservation District received a $1,274,595 grant to undertake ten separate projects at various sites in the county.   These projects primarily involve the implementation of agricultural best management practices designed to reduce nutrient runoff into local streams and, ultimately, the Chesapeake Bay.

Columbia County
Berwick Area Joint Sewer Authority received a $5,337,749 loan to construct approximately two miles of storm water collection piping and install 151 storm water manholes and inlet structures in order to eliminate combined sewer discharges into the Susquehanna River that occur during wet weather.

Delaware County
Chester County Conservation District received a $986,671 grant to construct facilities to reduce wastewater runoff from a mushroom farming operation that is contaminating Naamans Creek with nutrients.

Lancaster County
Lancaster County Conservation District:

• Received a $620,885 grant to construct a boiler that will burn chicken manure on a poultry farm whose land is saturated with nutrients that are contaminating the local stream and the Chesapeake Bay.
• Received a $214,600 grant to construct a riparian buffer on one farm and a manure storage facility and other storm water control facilities on another farm in order to reduce nutrient runoff into local streams and the Chesapeake Bay.

PENNVEST Drinking Water Projects:

Centre County
Millheim Borough received a $240,016 loan and a $1,638,984 grant to replace a damaged and leaking water main that is almost two miles long and runs the entire length of the borough. This line is the cause of frequent water outages in the system.

Clarion County

• Redbank Valley Municipal Authority received a $1,360,000 grant to construct more than two miles of water distribution lines to serve an area in Porter Township where almost half of the homes have drinking water wells that are contaminated by fecal coliform bacteria.
• Rimersburg Borough Municipal Authority received a $1,458,825 loan to construct almost three miles of water distribution lines to serve areas of Toby Township where local drinking water sources are contaminated by fecal coliform bacteria, as well as iron and manganese.

Erie County
Erie City Water Authority received an $8,915,618 loan to construct a storage tank, complete rehabilitation of a pump station and install 1,580 feet of transmission main to improve operations of the drinking water system and eliminate potential water outages.

Mercer County
Sandy Lake Borough received a $712,260 loan to construct a new drinking water treatment system that will eliminate iron and manganese contamination, and also to install water meters that will allow the borough to reduce water losses.

Schuylkill County
Blythe Township Municipal Authority received a $1,825,000 loan to repair a deteriorated water intake structure at its Crystal Run reservoir, as well as replace water meters to help address the loss of approximately half of the system's drinking water.

Somerset County

• Somerset Borough received a $1,950,000 loan to install about one mile of new water distribution lines and construct a new water storage tank, all of which will eliminate water outages that affect approximately 40 percent of the system's customers.
• Windber Area Authority received a $9 million loan to replace almost nine miles of old and leaking water mains and distribution lines to prevent water outages in the community.

PENNVEST Wastewater Projects:

Cambria County
Brownsville Borough received a $1,975,504 loan and a $2,624,496 grant to install approximately four and a half miles of new wastewater collection lines to eliminate infiltration and inflow into the system that results in overflows of contamination into the Conemaugh River during wet weather.

Clinton County
Lock Haven City received an $18,074,732 loan and a $10 million grant to upgrade its sewage treatment plant in order to eliminate the discharge of partially treated sewage into Bald Eagle Creek and also allow the system to meet its Chesapeake Bay nutrient discharge requirements.

Delaware County
Southern Delaware County Authority received a $500,000 loan to repair and rehabilitate sanitary sewer lines and manholes in order to eliminate the wet weather discharge of untreated waste into Marcus Hook and Naamans creeks.

Lebanon County
North Lebanon Township Municipal Authority received a $566,018 loan and a $1,645,893 grant to install two and a half miles of new collection sewers to eliminate wildcat sewers and inadequate on-lot septic systems that are contaminating local drinking-water wells.

Lehigh County
Coplay Whitehall Sewer Authority received a $9,973,000 loan to replace four and a half miles of sewer collection lines in order to eliminate the wet weather overloading of the authority's wastewater treatment plant.

Perry County
Marysville Borough received a $4,262,343 loan and a $982,043 grant to install four and a half miles of new sewage collection lines in order to eliminate wet weather discharges of untreated sewage into the Susquehanna River.

Snyder County
Middleburg Municipal Authority received a $2,250,000 loan to upgrade its sewage treatment plant and collection lines in order to eliminate wet weather bypassing of untreated sewage into Middle Creek, as well as meet Chesapeake Bay nutrient discharge limits.

Washington County
Carroll Township Authority received a $940,000 loan to rehabilitate three and a half miles of sanitary sewer lines in order to eliminate the wet weather discharge of untreated waste into Pigeon Creek, a tributary of the Monongahela River.

Westmoreland County
Jeannette City Municipal Authority received a $2,993,181 loan and a $5,284,553 grant to upgrade and expand its existing sewage treatment plant and pump station to eliminate wet weather overflows into Brush Creek.

SOURCE PENNVEST