$12.25M in state loans paying for wastewater, stormwater projects in Westmoreland County
About $12.25 million will be coming to Westmoreland County for wastewater and stormwater projects, the state announced Wednesday.
The Western Westmoreland Municipal Authority and the City of Arnold got loans for wastewater projects, while Penn Township received a loan for a stormwater project.
The money was part of $66 million invested in 11 drinking water, wastewater and stormwater projects across nine counties through the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority, commonly known as PennVest.
“Local communities across the commonwealth continue to face tough choices every day as a result of the covid-19 pandemic,” Gov. Tom Wolf said. “Investing in community infrastructure improvements like these projects demonstrates the strong commitment that we share to rebuild and grow our great commonwealth.”
The Western Westmoreland Municipal Authority received the most, a loan for $11,025,000, that will pay for installing about 18,000 feet of sanitary sewer line and manholes, and will pay for stabilizing stream banks. The project will eliminate stream pollution and address a Department of Environmental Protection consent order.
The authority serves about 16,000 customers in North Huntingdon, Penn, Hempfield, North Irwin, Irwin and Manor, assistant Manager Stan Gorski said.
Gorski said the authority expects the work throughout its service area to start in late April next year and take 20-to-24 months to finish.
Penn Township received a $1,106,811 loan. It will go toward installing about 1,400 feet of new stormwater piping and work on existing retention ponds and spillways. It will reduce sediment being released into Bushy Run.
The City of Arnold got a $117,555 loan. It will go toward increasing the size of piping used to send wastewater to the treatment plant, reducing sewage over flows into the Allegheny River.
The money for the loans comes from state funds approved by voters, Growing Greener, Marcellus legacy funds, federal grants, and loan repayments to PennVest. The money is released after work is paid for and receipts are sent to PennVest for review.
Brian C. Rittmeyer, a Pittsburgh native and graduate of Penn State University's Schreyer Honors College, has been with the Trib since December 2000. He can be reached at brittmeyer@triblive.com.
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