East Deer plans Baileys Run Road waterline improvements

A problematic water line in East Deer is being addressed by township officials.

Commissioners recently approved a nearly $500,000 loan from PennVEST — the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority — to complete the project to fix a waterline on Baileys Run Road.

“This is a section of waterline that has the highest frequency of breaks in our entire water system right now,” said Commissioners Chairman Tony Taliani. “We’ve solved other areas in the past that have had higher frequency, and this just seemed like the ideal time to do this because they’re totally renovating the entire road.

“They’re going to be milling, paving, new storm drains. They’re doing substantial work, and it just seems like this would be the time with this line in before the new paving.”

PennVEST approved funding for the project subject to approval of debt proceedings, the ordinance said. It will bear interest at a rate of 1.743% for the first five years and 2.179% for the remaining 15 years. Once complete, it is estimated the improvements will last more than 50 years.

The line in question spans about 2,000 feet.

“The board feels that we’re almost debt-free at this time and that this is a wise decision to make to eliminate the problem that we have there,” Taliani said.

He added that, on the road, the township has an interconnect with the Fawn-Frazer water system, “which makes that much more viable and much more stable by doing this.”