The Bradford City Water Authority has tabled bids received for timber from authority property.
The authority conducted a bid opening at 10 a.m. Tuesday, which included seven bids for the Arrowhead timber sale. At Wednesday’s authority meeting, the board tabled the decision for future consideration due to timber market volatility and instability from proposed international tariffs.
Bradford City receives a portion of the revenue from authority timber sales.
In other timber news, Ken Kane, president of Generations Forestry, presented an update to the board on a timber inventory project.
Wet weather has slowed forestry crews in their rate of inventory coverage, but Kane anticipates all field work on the West Branch watershed to be complete by June 1. Data will then be compiled into reviewable reports.
The authority will use the results to help determine the future annual potential revenue that can be expected from timber while maintaining a healthy, sustainable forest.
The authority also heard updates on several ongoing projects.
Executive Director Steve Disney reported that on April 29 the authority submitted a PENNVEST application for funding of a redundant 24-inch transmission main, which is intended to prevent a water crisis such that the Bradford area experienced in early 2015. The authority will learn if it will receive funding when the PENNVEST board meets July 17.
In preparation of the transmission main project, Bankson Engineers is obtaining rights-of-way and preparing applications for the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation and municipal highway occupancy permits.
Regarding a different project, Disney said that improving weather conditions have allowed cleaning of the water treatment plant lagoon to resume. The expected completion date is June 1.
The authority needs to relocate an eight-inch water main by the Toad Hollow bridge on South Avenue in Bradford Township, as the PennDOT is replacing the bridge. The authority reported the relocation project will be similar in scope to previous water main relocation projects in Foster and Lafayette townships, and PennDOT will likely reimburse the authority for 75 percent of the project cost. The authority intends to bid the project in June.
In other news, Bankson Engineers has submitted a draft form of a tapping fee study, which the authority is evaluating. They will use the study to confirm the basis and cost structure for authority tapping fees.
Also, Connie Heppenstall of Gannett Fleming presented to the board an update on a cost of service study the firm is preparing. The study will be used to confirm and establish water rates.
Disney reported that refinancing of 2014 bonds was formally executed May 16. The authority will see a net present value of savings of $201,492 from refinancing the original bonds.
The authority posted the completed 2018 Drinking Water Quality Report to its website on May 16, and customers can access the report at http://www.bradfordwater.com/ccr.html. While individual copies will not be mailed to customers this year, people can obtain copies at the authority office at 28 Kennedy St.
The drinking water met all quality parameters and benchmarks.
However, the authority reported that the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection issued one violation of “Failure to Monitor or Report” because of late reporting of chlorine residual of the combined filter effluent result for Feb. 22. The results of the sample taken that day were in full compliance, but, when the February results were reported to the DEP, the sample date was inadvertently omitted.
“This was immediately correctly and submitted as soon as it was identified and compliance in this area was achieved,” the authority reported. “There was absolutely no issue with the quality of the water and the public was at zero risk due to this isolated event.”
In June, the authority will conduct sampling for lead and copper. The DEP requires this sampling be done in the Bradford City water system every three years.
