Sewer authority discusses options

AVELLA, Pa. - During a Monday meeting, Independence-Cross Creek Joint Sewer Authority members discussed several options for the future of the authority, including expansion of the lines.

Board member James Wright noted none of the options considered were anything more than tentative propositions at this point.

The board discussed extending lines along Cross Creek Road to the intersection of Cross Creek Road and Strope Road and to the villages of Cross Creek and Independence. The two villages were incorporated in the authority's 537 Act plan, but are not part of the current project, which includes sanitary sewers in the Avella area and a sewage treatment plant.

Ken Howard of Bankson Engineers gave cost estimates for the three potential additions to the project, noting it would cost $600,000 to extend the lines out Cross Creek Road; and $2.2. million each to include the two villages.

The authority would potentially add 18 customers along Cross Creek Road, 98 customers in Cross Creek Village and 104 customers in Independence Village. The board members noted that, with potentially more than 200 additional customers, the debt service would spread across approximately 800 customers, instead of the 600 customers who are currently included in the project. Howard said it would reduce the monthly cost about $10 per customer.

The authority has received a Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority grant of $11.2 million and a 20-year, 1-percent loan of $3.7 million. It also has received notice of a nearly $5 million grant from H2O Pennsylvania, but has not yet received the money, although board members indicated that it should be disbursed soon.

The cost of the project, as planned, is $16 million, and board members said they believed the additional projects, if approved, could be accomplished with the grant and loan funding already in place.

The board gave Howard permission to approach PENNVEST and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection to request permission to expand the scope of the project. It also was noted that the authority has a permit for approximately 236,000 gallons per day at the treatment plant, and if the additional projects were added, the authority would need a permit for 300,000 gallons per day.

Howard said the plant had capacity, but the DEP might have additional requirements, and, if so, it was best for the authority to find out now, during the plant's construction, when changes would be easier to make.

"This is exciting and intriguing," said Georgiana Riley. "I think we have a real opportunity."

Howard also would prepare a report examining the financial ramifications of including those additional projects in the scope of the current project.

"You could potentially have the money to do it and be (financially) healthy," said Howard.

(Wallace-Minger can be contacted at swallace@pafocus.com)