Why Conemaugh Township water customers will see an increase in their monthly bill this year

Beth Ann Miller, The Daily American
·5 min read

CONEMAUGH TWP. ― Deteriorating cast iron pipes on some of the oldest sections of the township’s water system have caused line breaks, water loss and service disruptions for years to customers across various parts of the system.

Now many of those aging waterlines are due to be replaced under a two-year, $15 million construction project that the Conemaugh Township Municipal Authority (CTMA) plans to start this spring.

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The work is being paid for with a $9.1 million grant and a $5.9 million low-interest loan the authority was awarded in October from the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority, or PENNVEST.

One of the Conemaugh Township Municipal Authority's upcoming waterline replacement projects is to replace 4,000 linear feet of waterline along Krings Street in Tire Hill.
One of the Conemaugh Township Municipal Authority's upcoming waterline replacement projects is to replace 4,000 linear feet of waterline along Krings Street in Tire Hill.

To help them pay back the 20-year loan and pursue other improvement projects, the municipal authority is also raising water rates this year for its 2,600 customers. A letter was mailed to customers in December that outlined the details of the waterline replacement project and the rate increase, which takes effect on the February bill.

The new base rate increases from $33 to $45 per month for customers who use less than 2,000 gallons of water each month. For those who use more than 2,000 gallons per month, the overage rate increases from $8 to $10 per 1,000 gallons of water used.

The letter said this is the authority’s first rate increase since 2019.

“The authority is aware this rate increase is more than previous rate increases that our customers have experienced over the past 10-15 years, but this rate increase is necessary to continue to upgrade and maintain the ever-aging water infrastructure within the CTMA system,” the letter said.

‘Getting a $15 million project for $6 million’

The authority’s water system collects groundwater in a reservoir above the Ferndale Sportsmen’s Club, where it’s treated for public consumption and then distributed to its customers.

Waterlines in the older parts of the authority’s system are between 50 and 70 years old, and the subject of replacing them has been on the engineering reports for the past 20 years, authority Chairman Jeremy Stultz said.

“Obviously, the can’s been kicked down the road long enough ... it’s time to act to provide good quality water and quality service to our customers,” he said. “We were in a position to make a decision, and we tried to make it to the best of our ability.”

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Stultz said the PENNVEST financing makes the project feasible for a small water company like the CTMA, where there are fewer customers to absorb the cost of such an extensive project.

“With the PENNVEST option, we tried to obtain as much (grant) money as possible, but everybody is going after the same dollars,” he said. "We didn’t get grants to pay for it all, but PENNVEST offered us an opportunity to get a loan at 1% interest for 20 years. For us to obtain a 20-year loan, that is amazing. So, with a $9 million grant and the $6 million loan, we’re getting a $15 million project done for $6 million.”

Another of the five CTMA projects will replace 7,300 linear feet of waterline along Seanor Road in Hollsopple, between Jet Beer Distributors and Miller Picking Road.
Another of the five CTMA projects will replace 7,300 linear feet of waterline along Seanor Road in Hollsopple, between Jet Beer Distributors and Miller Picking Road.

When and where will the work take place?

There are five areas in the CTMA system where cast iron waterlines are to be replaced with C900 PVC pipe during this two-year project:

1. Somerset Pike: 27,000 linear feet of waterline will be replaced along state Route 985, from the Ferndale Sportsmen’s Club to pump stations in Davidsville and Jerome;

2. Somerset Pike: 8,000 linear feet of waterline will be replaced between the Ferndale Sportsmen’s Club and the authority’s reservoir, located above the sportsmen’s club;

3. Hollsopple: 7,300 linear feet of waterline will be replaced along Seanor Road, between Jet Beer Distributors and Miller Picking Road;

4. Tire Hill: 4,000 linear feet of waterline will be replaced along Krings Street, between the Route 403 intersection and the Krings bridge at the Stonycreek River;

5. Jerome: 3,700 linear feet of waterline will be replaced along Jerome Hill Road to Miller Road.

This map shows the five locations where waterlines are to be replaced over the next two years by the Conemaugh Township Municipal Authority. There are two projects scheduled at the location pictured on the far left, near Route 985.
This map shows the five locations where waterlines are to be replaced over the next two years by the Conemaugh Township Municipal Authority. There are two projects scheduled at the location pictured on the far left, near Route 985.

Stultz said the work along Route 985 (location No.1) is expected to start in April or May, as this section is the main artery to the rest of the authority’s distribution system. Pump stations in Davidsville and Jerome are going to be rehabilitated in this phase of the project as well.

The timeline for work on the other four locations would be at the contractor’s discretion, Stultz said, with the entire project expected to be finished by the end of 2025.

“This will be a massive project, and it will benefit more than just those five areas. It’s definitely a win for the entire Conemaugh Township community,” he said.

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‘We ask for patience’

The authority and the EADS Group, its engineering consultant, have been working for the past two years to get all the details in place and secure the funding for the project, Stultz said.

“These sites weren’t picked at random, we carefully looked at our distribution system and looked at the parts causing the most problems,” he said. “It’s been two years of work to get to this point. PENNVEST (funding) has to be a ‘shovel-ready’ project, and everybody’s worked really hard to make that happen.

“We do ask for everyone’s patience through this process. Work will be spread out over the township at some time, and everybody in the township will be affected at some time. There may be line breaks during construction. We’re doing our best to limit problems, but we ask for patience.”

Replacing the waterlines in these areas will benefit customers across the system in the long run by reducing service disruptions and the amount of treated water that is lost when these older lines break, Stultz said.

“Water is a precious commodity, and every time a waterline breaks, that water is wasted," he said. "We are fortunate that in the area where we live water is plentiful, but it may not always be that way. We don’t want to waste it.

“With this project, we will be able to tighten up the system so there’s less water being wasted. This is a situation we did inherit, and we are doing our best to clean it up while we have the opportunity.”

This article originally appeared on The Daily American: Conemaugh Township Municipal Authority plans extensive waterline replacement project