Delmont officials continue to wait for a part to repair the Cramer pump station, which was damaged by a power surge in June.

The station in Salem is used to manage sewage flow.

Metiri Group, the Kittanning firm that operates the station, contacted borough engineering firm Lennon Smith Souleret on June 6 to report the station was offline following what appeared to be a lightning strike or power surge.

The borough filed an insurance claim to repair the damage and ordered the necessary parts; however, the repairs are on hold. Lennon Smith Souleret engineer Dalton Mack said the lift station manufacturer requested a new surge protector be in place before repairs could proceed.

“Part of the delay is the company shipping (the surge protector) from overseas was waiting to see what will happen with tariffs and if they will end up going away,” Mack said. “Now that the tariffs seem to be staying, they’re looking to fill those orders before the tariff situation changes again.”

Mack said the surge protector is expected to be delivered in March, and on Dec. 18, and borough officials were recently awarded a $708,000 state grant to help fund the pump station repairs.

Announcements about other state grants Delmont has applied for also have been delayed. The borough applied for $1.5 million in statewide 2024 Local Share Account grants for sewer replacement along Tollgate Lane, as well as for the eventual construction of an equalization tank to prevent sewage overflows and comply with a state consent order. Those grant awards have been delayed until January, according to state officials.

The borough also applied for $500,000 in Pennsylvania Small Water and Sewer grant funding, which also would be directed to the Tollgate Lane project. Those grant awards are expected to be announced early next year.

Copyright ©2025— Trib Total Media, LLC (TribLIVE.com)