New treatment plant ready for online test
DUNBAR TWP. – The Dunbar Township Municipal Authority’s $8.7 million project is 99 percent completed and Galway Bay Construction of North Union Township will bring the treatment plant online for a test this week. Project manager Don Reho of Widmer Engineering said the construction company would start up different pieces of equipment at the Falls Avenue pump station to make sure that everything is ready to go online by Feb. 1.
“You can’t start the plant up all at one time,” said Reho. “We have to get all of the manufacturer representatives in here and have them each start up their piece of equipment.”
Reho said he expects the plant to be up and running by Feb. 1. All four contractors who worked on the project had until the end of January to finish the job.
The project took in the Leisenring-Rogerstown area, Trotter, Adelaide-Crossland and the construction of the sewage treatment plant.
Reho said about 3,900 feet of sewers were installed. He additionally said all that’s left for the contractors to do is complete some yard restoration work and some paving this spring.
Reho said if the weather holds out the construction crews would be able to get the yard restoration work completed by spring.
Authority board member Lou Falton said letters informing residents of their personal obligation to tap into the system would be mailed out to them in late January. He also said that about 960 customers would be connected to the new system.
Those who have already paid the tap-in fee were charged $850 minus a $100 discount for paying early. Residents will have 60 days to make arrangements to tap into the system after they receive their letter, according to Falton.
Reho said $300,000 in leftover funds from the project would be used to extend the project in the Frick Lane, Deerfield Road (Hidden Acres), Hickory Lane and Bell Drive area.
Reho said Frick Lane with 2,570 feet of pipe will cost about $115,650, Deerfield Lane with 3,000 feet of pipe will cost $135,000, Hickory Lane with 1,700 feet of pipe will cost an estimated $76,500 and Bell Drive with 2,100 feet of pipe will cost $94,500.
These people will also be given the tap-in discount if they pay early, according to Reho.
Rural Utilities Service, which helped with the project’s funding, agreed in October to allow Widmer Engineering to use up to $421,650 in leftover funds for the extended project. However, the expansion project is not expected to get under way until later this year.
Reho said the expansion project is only in the design phase at this time. He also said all customers would pay about $38 a month to use the system.
The next sewerage authority meeting is scheduled for Jan. 27 at 7 p.m.