Jul 22, 2009 2 min read

BROWNSVILLE – The long-awaited sewerage installation for the Swan Plan won’t be revised or delayed any further because of a protected plant. The project was put on hold last month while an area along Bull Run Road was watched for signs of blooms from the tall larkspur plant. Bill Johnson III of Fayette Engineering said a consultant visited the area July 6 and found no sign of the protected plant, meaning Fayette Engineering will be able to use its original gravity-fed alignment for the sewer line.

Johnson said final state clearance is needed regarding the tall larkspur, then Fayette Engineering can prepare the final design for approval and construction.

“We have a rough design now, but we’ll have to fine-tune it. I’ll get a time-frame for you,” he said.

The project will cover homes in the Swan Plan area of Luzerne Township, as well as several homes along Bull Run and Telegraph roads and Patsy Hillman Park. It will be in the Brownsville Municipal Authority’s service area, with the authority handling the design and construction.

In other matters, Johnson reported that work on the Market Street ramp to separate storm water from a sanitary sewer and repair a drainage problem is complete. Superior Utility Excavating did the directional drilling for the project, going under the ramp so the road didn’t need to be torn up. The bill for the work was $37,272.

Johnson also reported that the old sewage treatment plant that had been damaged by flooding has been demolished and the work is about 95 percent complete. The authority Tuesday approved payment of 85 percent of the cost, a total of $61,870.02, for the engineering and inspection fees, asbestos abatement by AJ Mack and demolition by Piccolomini Construction.

Fred Provance, chairman of the authority, complimented the municipal authority staff for salvaging a number of items from the old plant including two blowers used for aeration.

“The blowers alone saved us $8,000,” Provance said.

Jim Knisley, the plant manager, said one of the blowers has already been put into service.

The authority will hold its next meeting at 4:30 p.m. Aug. 18 to accommodate the annual plant inspection and dinner for area public officials.