Governor Rendell Announces $174 Million Investment in Water Infrastructure Projects in 21 Counties

HARRISBURG, Pa., Nov. 9, 2010 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Governor Edward G. Rendell today announced the investment of $174 million in 27 drinking water and wastewater projects serving communities in 21 counties.

"Today's meeting brings us to a total of $3.1 billion that the PENNVEST board has invested in 801 clean water projects in Pennsylvania since I took office," Governor Rendell said. "These investments are proof of our collective commitment to improving Pennsylvania's environment and creating the opportunities for more dynamic economic future for our businesses, workers, and residents. I take great pride in this accomplishment and the resulting long-term benefits of cleaner water that residents, their children and their grandchildren will enjoy."

Of the $174 million total, $154 million is for low-interest loans and $20 million is offered as grants from the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority (PENNVEST).

The awards range from a $216,609 grant to install rain gardens and construct other facilities to control storm water runoff in a community in Luzerne County, to a $30 million loan that will be used to construct improvements to a wastewater treatment facility in Lycoming County that will reduce nutrient contamination of the Susquehanna River and the Chesapeake Bay.

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.

Media contacts:

Paul Marchetti, PENNVEST; 717-783-4496

Gary Tuma, Governor's Office; 717-783-1116

Editor's Note: A list of projects funded by county follows:

PENNVEST Nonpoint Source Projects:

Allegheny County

• Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh received an $11 million loan to eliminate water runoff from a slag heap in the city that deposits heavy metals and other contaminants into Nine Mile Run. The project will reclaim this brownfield site by capping the slag heap, thus allowing the construction of private residences and open space in the city.
• Wilkinsburg Borough received a $500,000 grant to work with the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy to plant approximately 500 trees in various areas of the borough to reduce storm water runoff into Nine Mile Run and associated stream bank erosion and storm sewer overloads.

Chester County

• Chester County Conservation District received a $1 million grant to construct facilities that will contain and compost animal waste from agricultural operations in the West Fallowfield and Lower Oxford Township areas of the county. These facilities will reduce nutrient contamination of the local streams and the Chesapeake Bay by controlling the storm water runoff from these agricultural operations.

Lancaster County

• Lancaster County Conservation District received a $240,594 grant to replace an undersized manure storage facility with a larger structure that will allow an agricultural operation to employ improved manure management practices that will reduce nutrient runoff into local streams and the Chesapeake Bay.

Luzerne County

• West Wyoming Borough received a $216,609 grant to construct a dry well, storm drains and curbside rain gardens that will reduce flooding and storm water runoff in various areas of the borough.

PENNVEST Industrial Wastewater Projects:

Adams County

• EnergyWorks BioPower, LLC received an $11 million loan to construct a manure collection and treatment facility to manage the entire amount of manure produced by a five million egg layer facility. This will eliminate the annual hauling of more than 70,000 tons of manure and reduce nutrient discharges into the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

Blair County

• Blair County Regional Digester received a $10 million loan to construct a facility to treat raw manure and milking waste water from participating farms in the area, reducing nutrient contamination of local streams and the Chesapeake Bay.

PENNVEST Drinking Water Projects:

Blair County

• Hollidaysburg Borough received a $1.6 million loan to improve the capacity of its distribution system by replacing more than two miles of distribution mains that are over 100 years old and whose flow capacity is severely limited by the build-up of sediments inside the lines.

Bucks County

• Aqua PA received a $9.9 million loan to modify and upgrade the Neshaminy Water Treatment Plant to improve water quality and ensure adequate pretreatment and water filtration at the plant.

Indiana County

• Indiana County Municipal Services Authority received a $6.1 million loan and a $1.9 million grant to construct more than 21 miles of water distribution lines and a new water storage tank to serve 4,500 customers, many of whose existing drinking water wells are contaminated with coliform bacteria and abandoned mine drainage.

Lehigh County

• Allentown City received an $8.6 million loan to replace all of the city's water meters with new units incorporating mobile read technology, enhancing the ability to detect water leaks and allowing the city to manage its water system more efficiently.
• Allentown City received a $670,000 million loan to repair leaks in the Shantz Spring transmission main that are causing costly water losses to the city.
• Lehigh County Authority received a $1.8 million loan to replace 2,700 outdated water meters and backflow preventers, thus eliminating possible contamination of the water system and improving the operating efficiency of the system.

Mercer County

• Greenville Borough Municipal Authority received a $4.5 million loan to replace more than five miles of water distribution lines to eliminate frequent waterline breaks and leaks that contribute to the loss of more than one-third of the authority's water supply.

Susquehanna County

• Pennsylvania American Water Company received a $172,682 loan and an $11.6 million grant to design and construct more than 12 miles of water transmission and distribution lines to serve residents in Dimock Township whose water supply has been affected by methane gas.

Washington County

• Charleroi Borough Authority received a $2.1 million grant to construct more than two miles of water distribution lines to serve customers whose drinking water is contaminated by metals and chemicals.

Westmoreland County

• Highridge Water Authority received a 2.8 million loan to construct a pump station, a new water storage tank and more than 10 miles of new water lines to serve residents of the Sundial Village Mobile Home Park, thus eliminating an existing non-viable water system.

PENNVEST Wastewater Projects:

Beaver County

• East Rochester Borough received a $532,000 loan to construct new sanitary and storm sewers to eliminate wet weather overflows of inadequately treated sewage into the Ohio River.

Berks County

• Perry Township Municipal Authority received a $1.8 million loan to construct a new sewage collection and conveyance system to serve areas of the township where malfunctioning on-lot septic systems are discharging raw sewage into the Schuylkill River.

Butler County

• Winfield Township received a $4.6 million loan and a $671,645 grant to construct more than 10 miles of sewage collection lines to eliminate the use of malfunctioning on-lot septic systems that are discharging inadequately treated sewage into nearby wetlands and Little Buffalo Creek.

Cambria County

• Johnstown Redevelopment Authority received a $9.6 million loan to construct new manhole stations and interceptor sewers to eliminate wet weather sewage overflows that are contaminating both Cherry Run and Stony Creek.
• Johnstown City received a $3 million loan to construct new sanitary and storm sewers in the city to eliminate wet weather discharges of raw sewage into Stony Creek.

Erie County

• Northeast Township Water and Sewer Authority received an $8.5 million loan to install more than 11 miles of new collection lines to serve households whose on-lot septic systems are malfunctioning and discharging inadequately treated sewage into Lake Erie.

Indiana County

• Indiana County Municipal Services Authority received a $1.3 million loan and a $1.9 million grant to construct more than five miles of sewage collection lines and a pump station to serve households in Pine Township whose septic systems and wildcat sewers are discharging raw sewage into Yellow Creek.

Lackawanna County

• Scranton City Sewer Authority received a $17.7 million loan to perform a variety of upgrades to its wastewater treatment plant to eliminate wet weather sewage bypasses that contribute to nutrient contamination of local streams and the Chesapeake Bay.

Lycoming County

• Williamsport Sanitary Authority received a $30 million loan to construct new facilities at the authority's wastewater treatment plant to eliminate the wet weather discharge of excessive nutrients into the Susquehanna River and ultimately the Chesapeake Bay.

Monroe County

• Pocono Township received an $8.3 million loan to construct more than six miles of interceptor sewers and three pump stations to provide service to local households, vaccine maker Sanofi Pasteur and other commercial and industrial facilities.

SOURCE Pennsylvania Office of the Governor