SWPA project expected to continue few more months
WAYNESBURG – Residents throughout Greene County have undoubtedly seen their share of construction crews, road closings, orange cones and traffic jams over the past few weeks as a result of an ongoing water line replacement project. Joe Simatic, manager of the Southwestern Pennsylvania Water Authority (SWPA), spoke about the ongoing projects happening in Waynesburg and Jefferson in response to residents’ questions.
However, most of Simatic’s answers to the questions asked indicated that the projects – which should be completed in a few months – would greatly benefit the county.
“We want to assure the public that there is a light at the end of the tunnel,” Simatic said. “There are times when you can’t fix up before you tear up. We are looking ahead to the new highway and the beautification project. Hopefully, what we are doing will last for the next 50 to 60 years.”
The idea to start replacing the water lines came about through a discussion last year with the state Department of Transportation, according to Simatic.
“I talked to Bob Russell of PennDOT about their upcoming paving projects for 2008 and it was in our best interest to get in there ahead of them and replace the lines,” he said. “We were able to take out a loan from Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority (PENNVEST) to replace 29,000 feet of water lines in the county.”
The loan of $5.2 million – to be repaid over a 20-year period – is to be repaid from the water authority’s general fund and will not cause an increase for customers, according to Simatic.
The funds that will be saved by working ahead of PennDOT’s paving schedule are a result of the SWPA having less reconstructive work to do on the roads after the lines are in place, Simatic explained.
“We only have to fill in the trenches. The normal requirements state that we have to pave from the yellow line to the curb,” Simatic said. “Those have been waived, and because of that, we are seeing a big savings. What we are doing is coinciding with the governor’s plans for infrastructure to upgrade. We like to think we got a jump-start on that.”
The lines that are being replaced by four different contractors are main transmission lines that supply water to both the western and eastern ends of the county, according to Simatic.
Construction on the project, which began in May, is expected to be completed by Labor Day, with portions of it already completed, Simatic said. The Jefferson Road work was on schedule to be completed last week.
The segment that will probably be the most disruptive is the area around the Sheetz service station in Franklin Township.
After the installation of the lines is completed, the authority will then have to pressurize, disinfect and make all of the connections that will bring the whole project together.
“I appreciate everyone’s patience and how well they have been dealing with this,” said Simatic.
“The business owners are very aware of what we are trying to accomplish and have been great about this. There is a light at the end of the tunnel.”