Ellwood City Receives Nearly $6 Million in PENNVEST Funding

HARRISBURG – The Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority (PENNVEST) today awarded $6 million in funding to the Borough of Ellwood City to make improvements to its existing sewer infrastructure, according to Senator Elder Vogel (R-47) and State Representative Aaron Bernstine in respective statements

The project will involve the construction of a new pump station with a sewage grinder, approximately 2,300 feet of 18-inch gravity sewer line to the new pump station, an additional 5,200 feet of 18-inch force main to the borough’s existing primary lift station, and a screening unit replacement at the primary lift station. The existing systems services 3,014 households within the borough.

“Replacing the outdated and deteriorated infrastructure will increase system reliability and significantly reduce the risk of raw sewage contaminating the Connoquenessing Creek, a tributary of the Beaver River,” said Vogel.

PENNVEST is not supported by the state’s General Fund budget, which covers the daily operations and services of the Commonwealth. Financing is provided through the use of federal funding and prior bond issues by the state as well as proceeds from the Marcellus Shale Impact Fee legislation, Act 13 of 2012.

“Without this PENNVEST grant, user rates would increase by approximately 21%,” said Bernstine. “The new infrastructure and decommissioning of the existing interceptor will significantly reduce the risk of raw sewage contaminating the Connoquenessing Creek. Access to clean, safe water is a fundamental element of improved quality of life. It is also a crucial function of government to provide the proper core infrastructure systems to encourage new economic development.”

OF NOTE: Governor Tom Wolf had also announced the overall investment of $236 million for 23 drinking water, wastewater, stormwater and non-point source projects across 15 counties through the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority (PENNVEST) program. [READ MORE]