Midland MA Receives $7.6 Million in State Financing

A major water project to eliminate a costly burden on Midland Borough water customers will receive $7,556,690 in state funding, according to Senator Elder Vogel (R-47).

The Municipal Authority of the Borough of Midland was awarded a $4,050,800 grant and a $3,549,200 low-interest loan to construct its own raw water intake system to eliminate the need to purchase it from Allegheny Technologies Incorporated (ATI).

“I was pleased to work with my colleague Representative Jim Marshall in support of this financing. The current situation is unmanageable.”

“That makes this PENNVEST financing essential for Midland,” Senator Vogel continued. “The Municipal Authority and the 1,050 customers who rely on it for water service simply cannot afford the additional financial burden and I am happy that the state is stepping in to provide substantial support for this important project.”

For many years, Midland bought raw water from the Allegheny Ludlum steel mill on the Ohio River.  Allegheny Ludlum became part of ATI in the mid-1990s. The Municipal Authority’s treatment system then provided water service to the community and back to the steel plant for its use.  The situation recently changed when ATI announced plans to halt production at the Midland plant.

PENNVEST financing is provided through the use of federal funding and prior bond issues by the state. It is not supported by the state’s General Fund budget, which covers the daily operations and services of the Commonwealth.