Harrisburg, PA – Today, Governor Tom Wolf announced a total of $2 million in Community Block Grant Development (CDBG) funding to improve water quality and sewer infrastructure in Somerset and Greene counties.
“One of the biggest challenges our local governments face is how they manage their aging and inadequate infrastructure,” Governor Wolf said. “This funding is critical to assist two communities in Somerset and Greene counties that have been struggling with poor water quality and an insufficient sewer system.”
Somerset County will receive $1 million in funding through the Somerset Redevelopment Authority in partnership with the Confluence Borough Municipal Authority. The funding will be used to replace the outdated water line serving Draketown Village that was constructed in the late 1800s. The water line, which is deteriorated and leaking, has contributed to unclean water which has caused the area to be on a boil water notice since 2014. Additionally, the reduced pressure due to the pipe leaking could affect the ability of firefighters to get enough water quickly.
The replacement project will consist of the construction and installation of approximately 12,000 linear feet of new six-inch high-density polyethylene water line. It also includes six new fire hydrants and 42 service connections. The project will completely solve the pipe leaking issues and is necessary to tackle the greater water quality and treatment issue in the area.
The second project is for Greene County, which will receive $1 million to make improvements and replacements along Waynesburg Borough’s sewer system. Currently, deficiencies in the sewer line and the interceptor – the structure that filters contaminants from the water system – have caused the system to be overloaded. During periods of heavy wet weather, the borough suffers a higher chance of untreated human waste being discharged into the nearby South Fork of Ten Mile Creek. This project will replace at least 630 linear feet of sewer pipeline and repair a further 7,645 linear feet of pipeline along the interceptor.
While programs like CDBG provide important funding to help specific municipalities improve their aging infrastructure, additional resources are needed to address the problem at a comprehensive, statewide level. Governor Wolf’s bipartisan Restore Pennsylvania proposal will provide $4.5 billion to address infrastructure issues like blight, broadband, flood protection, green infrastructure, and contaminant remediation.
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Learn more about the Restore Pennsylvania plan.
