HARRISBURG, Pa. — Municipalities across the Lehigh Valley were awarded more than $23 million in grants to improve access to reliable, clean drinking water, state officials announced Wednesday.
“The Shapiro Administration is focused on delivering real results for the people of Pennsylvania, and these significant investments are creating safe and healthy communities across the commonwealth,” state Community and Economic Development Secretary Rick Siger said.
More than three dozen projects in the Valley were awarded grants, including $1 million for the Lehigh County Authority’s Upper Western Lehigh Pump Station Project and $386,750 for its Heidleberg Heights Sanitary Sewer Replacement Project.Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development
“From making critical infrastructure improvements, to strengthening and enriching communities by supporting artists and cultural organizations hurt financially by the pandemic, these projects will enhance our economy and improve the quality of life for Pennsylvanians.”
Agency officials on Wednesday released a list of 1,018 new projects approved through the Commonwealth Financing Authority, totaling $335 million in grants statewide.
Funded projects included those in the state’s Small Water and Sewer Program, as well as H2O PA – Water Supply, Sanitary Sewer and Storm Water Projects, both with money from federal American Rescue Plan Act funds.
Valley projects received 7% of the total funding awarded.
More than three dozen projects funded
More than three dozen projects in the Valley were awarded grants.
They included $1 million for the Lehigh County Authority’s Upper Western Lehigh Pump Station Project and $386,750 for its Heidleberg Heights Sanitary Sewer Replacement Project, as well as $1.2 million for water tank rehabilitation in Emmaus.
The awards align with state officials' “focus on strengthening communities, enhancing infrastructure, and spurring economic development” statewide.Pennsylvania Department of Economic and Community Development
The authority announced last month $600 million would be needed over the next decade to upgrade aging water and wastewater treatment infrastructure, increase capacity and solve other issues in more than a dozen Lehigh County municipalities.
In Emmaus, local officials have decided to address the borough’s PFAS problem by treating borough wells, which could cost $24 million to $30 million over the next two decades.
PFAS, or per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances are manufactured chemicals nicknamed “forever chemicals” because they are incredibly slow to break down once introduced into the environment, and can contaminate groundwater.
Other projects included stormwater restoration, sewer line rehabilitation and improvements.
The awards align with state officials' “focus on strengthening communities, enhancing infrastructure, and spurring economic development” statewide, according to a news release.
Here is a list of water and sewer projects in the Valley awarded funding:
COVID-19 ARPA H2O PA
- Bangor Borough Authority Sanitary Sewer Improvements $600,000
- Bethlehem Township Walnut Street Drainage Improvements $700,000
- Northampton Sewer Line Rehabilitation $2,000,000
- Bushkill Township Storm Water Infrastructure Improvements $189,786
- Allentown I & I Source Reduction Program Phases 1, 2, & 3 $3,000,000
- Bethlehem 2 Million Gallon Southwest Reservoir Replacement $750,000
- Easton Area Joint Sewer Authority Second Street Pumping Station Force Main Upgrade Project $1,000,000
- Emmaus Water Tank Rehabilitation $1,200,000
- Hanover Township Chaucer Lane and Lord Byron Drive Storm Sewer Extension Project $1,603,733
- Lehigh County Authority Upper Western Lehigh Pump Station Project $1,000,000
- Lehigh Township Municipal Authority Pennsville WWTP Upgrade and Expansion $2,200,000
- Lower Saucon Authority Pump Station Replacement $300,000
- North Whitehall Township Stormwater Restoration Project $328,330
- Palmer Township Norma Street Sewer Extension $250,000
- Salisbury Township Sanitary Sewer Improvements & Rehabilitation Project $660,000
Total: $15,781,849
COVID-19 ARPA Small Water and Sewer
- Bangor Borough Authority Sanitary Sewer Improvements $150,000
- Bath Borough Authority Public Drinking Water Mainline Replacement $310,010
- Bethlehem City Applebutter Road Sanitary Sewer Lift Station Upgrades $393,750
- Alburtis Pressure Regulator and Water Main Rehabilitation $192,500
- Catasauqua Water Works Fluoride Feed System Removal $51,229
- Catasauqua WWTP Backup Chlorine Disinfection $57,923
- West Easton Sanitary Sewer Rehabilitation – CIPP Lining $150,000
- Catasauqua I/I Abatement Program $250,581
- Catasauqua WWTP Influent Pump Replacement $255,000
- Catasauqua WWTP Trickling Filters Improvements $348,221
- Catasauqua Water Interconnections Replacement Project $401,921
- Easton Bushkill Drive Pump House $145,000
- East Bangor Municipal Authority Water Meter Upgrades $150,000
- East Bangor Municipal Authority Water Storage Tank Construction $367,633
- Emmaus I&I Remediation $425,000
- Hellertown Borough Authority Cherry Lane Pump Station Emergency Generator $78,030
- Lehigh County Authority Heidleberg Heights Sanitary Sewer Replacement Project $386,750
- Lower Macungie Township Spring Creek Swale Riparian Buffer Project $167,467
- Macungie Borough Authority South Buttonwood Street Water Main Replacement $423,530
- Portland Storm Sewer Improvements $424,708
- Portland Sewer Treatment Plant Improvements $425,000
- Roseto Sewer Authority Sanitary Sewer Rehabilitation Project $150,000
- Salisbury Township Watermain Replacement Project $391,000
- Slatington Maple Spring Drive Waterline $235,957
- Upper Nazareth Township Storm Water Project $300,000
- Whitehall Township Belmont Glen Swale Project $284,637
- Whitehall Township Authority Watermain Relocation and Replacement Project $240,000
- Wilson Borough Sewer Improvement Project $58,851
Total: $7,365,753
For more information, go to the Commonwealth Financing Authority’s website.
