With nearly $300,000 in sewer and stormwater fees more than a month past due, Bradford Sanitary Authority is looking at ways to revise the system.
The authority talked about delinquent accounts at Tuesday’s regular meeting.
There is about $115,00 in sewer bills and $179,000 in stormwater fees that are more than 30 days past due.
“We’re setting up a meeting with Stinnett and both Magisterial District Judges, (Richard) Luther and (Dominic) Cercone, for the first part of December in order to provide information to them and help them understand our position,” said Steve Disney, interim executive director.
He said the new billing system will help with waterfall billing and collections, too.
“In the field, crews have been focused on making much-needed stormwater repairs. For instance, they renovated and replaced three storm basins/manholes on South Avenue that were safety issues to the public due to the washout conditions that have occurred around the basins,” Disney explained. The repairs had been pending for years.
Also, they replaced a storm basin in the Bradford Pipe parking lot that had been illegally connected to the sanitary system and connected it to the storm system. They are looking at a partially collapsed storm line in the Zippo parking lot on Barbour Street, too; the authority and Zippo agree that more of the parking lot will need to be cut into to do the job right.
Crews have commenced flushing the sewer.
Other field work included construction on the sanitary sewer rehab on Pine and Boylston streets, which is completed with only paperwork remaining.
Belser Hale has successfully lowered the diffused outfall east manhole by two feet at a cost of $4,870.00. Flood Control and the authority both signed revised easements, which are in process of being recorded at the courthouse.
Disney talked about field work for next year.
In 2021, the plan “is to be aggressive with flushing, cleaning and televising all storm and sewer lines,” he said. “A conditional assessment and associated rating will be assigned to identify areas and sections needing immediate attention. This will be used to help shape and formulate future capital planning.”
He gave an update on a bench the Tuna Valley Trail Association was making “in memory of our dear friend Rick Brocius” — the authority’s former executive director. The bench was completed and stained, and a plaque in Brocius’s honor was installed. It sits near Crook Farm.
The Phase 3 upgrades at the wastewater treatment plant are winding down. The punch list items that remain are mostly work by Mazza, the mechanical contractor for the project.
Also regarding Phase 3 upgrades, there are CAS/WAS and primary sludge pump issues that are being addressed.
Disney outlined a few problems at the plant separate from Phase 3 work.
The authority reported a larger than normal ammonia concentration in the October DMR submission to the state Department of Environmental Protection. The authority has attributed it to the issues with the primary pump and made adjustments to alleviate the problem until the pump replacement.
With Eldred Borough being in the preliminary stages of a potential sanitary treatment plant upgrade, the Bradford Sanitary Authority took two borough employees on a tour of Bradford’s plant this past month.
The authority will hold a review work session this week with the BSA financial committee to discuss the 2021 budget.
