The main portion of work for Phase 3 of the upgrades at the Bradford Sanitary Authority’s wastewater treatment plant should be finished by the end of 2019.

At the regular meeting on Tuesday, the authority approved an extension to two of the project contractors. Based on engineer Jack Rae’s recommendation, the board voted in favor of giving Mazza Mechanical Services and Pure Tech Electric a substantial completion date of Dec. 31 and a final completion date of June 30.

“It seems like all three contractors” — Mazza, Pure Tech and Hickes Associates — “are committed to be ready for the digester start-up Dec. 16,” Rae noted.

Rae explained earlier in the meeting that the biggest delay was due to new regulations for concrete suppliers.

Architectural upgrades will continue through the winter, Rae said, and paving will be done in the spring.

Rae provided an in-depth description during the meeting on where Phase 3 work stands throughout the plant.

In other news, Executive Director Rick Brocius said work continues on an application for a Pennsylvania Small Water & Sewer Grant. The authority hopes to use the grant money to complete storm and sanitary sewer projects along the collection systems. They are applying for $500,000.

He indicated that projects will be chosen based on need, and they will consider projects that are in areas where other work is ongoing — such as streetscape projects — because work can be completed while the street is already dug up.

The authority met with the Office of Economic and Community Development to discuss projects that can be done concurrently.

“I & I (inflow and infiltration) reduction will probably be a top priority,” Brocius noted.

Possible future projects for the authority include a new basin in the area of the ramps by Emery Towers, and a new basin and 100 feet of storm line on Tibbitts Avenue, which becomes an “ice rink straight to the bottom,” said Brocius. Also, authority employees need to repair a 20-inch sanitary main line on Main Street where a ground rod was driven through it during summer construction. A project that will likely be on the grant project list is a stormwater I & I issue on South Avenue.

Brocius also listed some recent stormwater repairs the sanitary authority has completed since taking over maintenance of the stormwater collection system.

These include work in the area of Onofrio Street and Marion Avenue, the area of Chestnut and East Corydon streets, Congress Street, the area of Lincoln and Rockland avenues, the area of Rockland Avenue and Boyer Street, a new fence around a drainage area at Callahan Park, and work at the ballfield and track at George G. Blaisdell Elementary School.

Authority member Bob Esch pointed out that the public often focuses on the costs of sewer and stormwater services rather than the “critical infrastructure” that is being maintained and the “greater society impact.”

The focus, he explained, is “on health issues, environmental impact issues and clean water.”

Esch added, “There’s a reason we’re doing what we’re doing.”

Brocius noted the authority now has social media channels to dispense information to help the community understand what the authority does.

Regarding the budget, Brocius said a budget work session was held, and the authority will finish 2019 about where they anticipated. The finance committee soon will have a preview of the 2020 budget to consider. He said the finalized budget will be ready before the December meeting.

When talking about happenings at the plant, Brocius mentioned a piece of equipment that was malfunctioning. Since ordering parts would cause too long of a delay, they are having parts manufactured locally.

Authority member Brad Mangel noted some part would be made locally by students at Bradford Area High School.

The next regular meeting of the Bradford Sanitary Authority is set for 4 p.m. Dec. 17.