Sep 3, 2008 By The 1 min read

Municipalities in Fayette, Greene and Washington counties will share in $2.2 million in state grants that Gov. Ed Rendell awarded for sewerage enforcement and planning. Rendell said the grants were issued through the Department of Environmental Protection’s sewerage facilities enforcement and planning programs.

In Fayette County, Wharton Township received $3,397, Nicholson Township received $1,999, Jefferson Township received $569, Vanderbilt received $250, Upper Tyrone Township received $182 and Springhill Township received $87.

In Greene County, Cumberland Township received $2,547, Jefferson Township received $2,114, Perry Township received $1,727 and Washington Township received $607.

In addition, the Washington County Sewage Council received $68,642.

The Pennsylvania Sewage Facilities Act, known as Act 537, requires municipalities to enforce on-lot sewerage system requirements. Requirements include evaluating and permitting new systems, properly repairing malfunctioning systems and investigating complaints in a timely manner.

Act 537 authorizes the DEP to reimburse local governments for up to 85 percent of their annual enforcement costs and up to 50 percent of the cost associated with preparing sewerage facilities plans.

Enforcement is carried out by sewerage enforcement officers, who must pass a state-administered test in order to be certified by a state board and are responsible for ensure that new and repaired on-lot systems are properly sited, designed, permitted and inspected.