The Bradford Sanitary Authority has given a cost estimate for Phase III of the rehabilitation of the wastewater treatment plant on Seaward Avenue.
The state-mandated plant upgrade will eventually mean another rate increase for customers, but how much that increase will be depends on what kind of funding the authority is able to secure.
The estimated project cost at this time is about $6.9 million, according to Jack Rae, an engineer with Gannett Fleming.
The authority is not anticipating being able to get a grant for the project, but they plan to apply for low interest loans through PENNVEST at the agency’s July meeting.
The projected rate increase if the authority accepts a 20-year PENNVEST loan with a 1.56 percent interest rate — the standard McKean County rate, said Rae — would be $3.27 per user per month. A 30-year PENNVEST loan with a 1 percent interest rate would bring an estimated $2.16 increase per user per month.
If the authority opts for a 30-year bond issue with a 3.90 percent interest rate, the expected rate increase would be $3.50 per user per month.
The current rate is $32 a month or $64 bimonthly.
Rae said the authority has heard a couple of pieces of good news regarding the rehabilitation.
A recent letter from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection indicated there was “no further work needed on Phase II” in regards to reducing toxins such as copper in the plant’s output.
Additionally, the DEP has decided Phase III is eligible for a Categorical Exclusion, which means the authority won’t have to go through the process of getting environmental clearances.
Rae listed the major work that will be done in Phase III, which includes two new aerobic digesters, a new chlorine building, an extended outfall pipe that will reach across the stream and help the authority reach “more favorable copper limits,” a new vehicle storage facility, two new waste sludge pumps, demolition of the old sludge conditioning and lime feed facilities, architectural and electrical upgrades and five new boundary meters.
Work will also include repurposing sand beds to reed beds for sludge dewatering. Rae explained that of the processes they considered, a reed bed was found to be “the most cost-effective for the sludge dewatering upgrade.” He said a reed bed is “not a whole lot of work,” except that the solids need removed every 10 years or so and the reeds replanted.
The annual cost of maintaining a reed bed is estimated to be $86,000, compared to $111,000 for a centrifuge or $133,000 for a belt press.
In fact, an abstract Rae wrote on the reed project was accepted by the Pennsylvania Municipal Authorities Association, and Rae and authority Executive Director Rick Brocius will present the project at the association’s annual state conference Sept. 10-13 in Hershey.
Rae also outlined a rough schedule of the next steps for Phase III.
According to Rae, an Act 537 Special Study will be advertised for public comment later this month. They hope to adopt the study in late March and receive DEP approval by early April so a 60 percent design and permit submittals can be sent out in mid-April. Then, they plan to apply for PENNVEST funding in May and learn what funding award they will be offered in July. July is also when they plan to have the design 100 percent completed and have documents ready to put the project out to bid.
Also at the meeting, Brocius said a new website for the authority is “up in developmental fashion.” The next step is “populating the template,” and his goal is to have the site populated and live by the time the authority meets again in March.
He invited board members to stay and see the website’s progress after the meeting.
Brocius also gave a brief update on the authority taking over stormwater management duties for Bradford City. He explained they are working on a budget, and officials have had meetings with property owners on the matter.
The sanitary authority is taking over operation of stormwater management duties.
Board member Norm Strotman wondered how the meetings have been going, and Brocius replied, “Pretty good,” and the meetings gave property owners a chance to ask questions.
When Bradford City officials first announced changes to stormwater management — and an accompanying fee for property owners — the idea was met with resistance by property owners.
In other news, authority chairman Bob Douglas said they have received a request for an equivalent dwelling unit — or sewer hook-up — at 42 Rutherford Run in Bradford Township for a detail shop. The group voted in favor of granting the EDU request, which was submitted by Mark Therminy.
