Sewer authority receives $20 million for major upgrades

Jul. 21—A $20 million investment from the state will help keep things running smoothly at Meadville Area Sewer Authority.

The authority will receive $16.2 million in grant funding from Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority and a low-interest loan for an additional $3.8 million to fund a major overhaul of the 25-year-old plant that serves the city of Meadville and parts of West Mead and Vernon townships.

The funding was announced on Wednesday by Republican state Sen. Michele Brooks, whose 50th District includes Crawford County.

"It is my hope that these funds will alleviate the high cost of these repairs for residents, which can be extremely challenging for our families, communities and businesses," Brooks said. "By making forward-thinking investments in our infrastructure, we can help to ensure that residents can afford the necessities of life, businesses have the resources they need to grow, and the area has the revenue to reduce maintenance and replacement costs long-term. This project will build a strong foundation for the future for the residents and families of Crawford County."

Kim Mourer, executive director of the sewer authority, said that board members would likely approve a plan to solicit bids for the project at their Aug. 16 meeting. Once construction begins, the project is expected to take about two years, she added, as each of the treatment system's four tanks is taken off line successively during the upgrade process.

Customers shouldn't notice any impact during the process, according to Mourer. The authority already takes one tank out of service each summer when Allegheny College students depart its service area and higher temperatures make processing more efficient in the tanks that remain online.

Customers won't feel an impact in another way as well, according to a statement from Brooks' office.

Without the state funding, the cost of the upgrades would have been borne by ratepayers, the statement said, and rates would likely have increased 21 percent.

Mourer said plans for the upgrades have been in the works for five years and thanked Brooks for her support of the project.

"The look of the sewage treatment plant isn't going to change at all," Mourer said. "We're making mechanical improvements and process improvements within the plant."

In pre-pandemic planning for the renovation, authority board members in early 2019 discussed plans to increase rates for Meadville and West Mead customers by about 1 percent for five consecutive years to help pay for the upgrades in conjunction with expected state funding. The 2020 budget included an increase of 1.1 percent on consumption charges for customers in Meadville and 0.84 percent on the flat rate that applies to customers in West Mead.

The 2021 and 2022 budgets included increases of 2 percent and 6.1 percent, respectively, for the typical residential customers. Mourer and board members last year sought federal pandemic relief funds from both Meadville City Council and the West Mead Township Board of Supervisors to help offset expected rate increases. West Mead supervisors approved $20,000 for the authority in March.

The plant renovation will include a new back-up generator, roof, grit and grease equipment, ultraviolet disinfection and other improvements. Currently, the plant experiences frequent mechanical failures, and its ultraviolet disinfection system has deteriorated. Power outages, equipment failures and a leaking roof have also affected the authority's location at 1320 Park Ave., just south of Pomona Park.

Mike Crowley can be reached at (814) 724-6370 or by email at .