Unfavorable state Department of Environmental Protection rulings
regarding lagging sewage upgrade plans were revealed at Tuesday’s
Bradford Sanitary Authority meeting.
DEP has apparently shot down any hopes of the area
municipalities receiving a 90-day extension to reach a sewer
service agreement, saying it wouldn’t fit with the timeline of the
consent order and agreement currently imposed on each municipality
for missed deadlines and sewage overflows.
The sewer service agreement is supposed to detail how each
municipality will tackle the Act 537 Sewage Facilities Plan – a
blueprint for updating the aging sewage treatment plant and
eliminating sewer overflows. Bradford City, Bradford Township,
Lewis Run, Foster Township and Lafayette Township – along with
their respective sanitary authorities – were required by June 9 to
reach a collective agreement on how to make these improvements, but
have not been able to do so for reasons including the likely sewer
rate hike such an expensive project would bring.
After a special meeting of municipal officials last month,
Authority Chairman Dan Hartle is optimistic about reaching an
agreement soon, though no future meetings were announced. Hartle
wants to get an agreement in place quickly in hopes that DEP will
acknowledge the progress made and permit new sewer hook-ups, known
as EDUs, in the area instead of withholding them as part of the
consent order and agreement.
“We are making headway,” he said.
Authority officials have revised the sewer service agreement yet
again, hoping that all municipalities will sign it this time.
Making an agreement will then allow each municipality to draft its
own Act 537 Plan.
DEP recently rejected Bradford City’s version of the Act 537
Plan – which has only been successfully passed so far by Foster
Township, in 2005 – on two grounds. First, DEP objected to a
proposed two-year deadline extension from 2013 to 2015 for the
project. Secondly, DEP cited the lack of a completed sewer service
agreement.
Officials have until the end of August to resubmit the plans,
according to the authority.
The authority did announce good news in the form of a likely $1
million state H2O grant to help with the project’s cost, which at
one time was estimated to be around the $20 million mark. The money
may need to be spent sooner than later, though, as there are
expensive parts in the aging plant that require replacement.
Along with updating the treatment plant, local officials also
hope to fix up existing sewer lines. The authority’s peak sewer
flow study is currently wrapping up, which will help officials
decide where line repairs are needed to reduce storm water and
other infiltration.
The local sewer hook-up shortage due to DEP restrictions was
also addressed during Tuesday’s meeting. The agency has been
granting EDUs on a case-by-case basis, and it is uncertain that the
area’s regular allotment for the rest of 2009 will be released.
Last month, the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford requested
33 EDUs to build a new dormitory. There is a 60-day window for
Pitt-Bradford to receive the EDUs or it will not be able to
construct the building.
Pitt-Bradford isn’t the only potential customer waiting for
EDUs.
“We’re getting into a serious situation here,” engineer Al
Vanderpoel said. “Even if all 50 (EDUs) were granted for the year,
it still would not cover (everyone).”
In spring, Crossett Inc. was supposed to build a new terminal on
Owens Way. Those plans have been backed up to spring 2010, but
their previously allocated EDUs will expire by then.
Bradford Township has had problems getting residential EDUs in
recent months. The authority did approve two residential EDUs for
that township at Tuesday’s meeting, along with one for Foster
Township.
Also, 25 EDUs were allocated for the Foster Township sewer line
extension on Harrisburg Run.
