Elizabeth Township: PennVEST funding approved to replace sewage treatment plant

By Christine Haines

chaines@yourmvi.com

Elizabeth Township has been approved for PennVEST funding to replace the outdated sewage treatment plant at Buena Vista with a system to transport the sewage to McKeesport for treatment.

According to state Sen. Jim Brewster, D-McKeesport, and state Rep. Mike Puskaric, R-Union Township, Elizabeth Township will get a low-interest PennVEST loan of nearly $17.3 million. The funds will go toward the second phase of the sewage treatment plan to address sewage overflows into the Youghiogheny River from the Buena Vista plant. 

The upgrades are required due to a 2016 consent agreement between the township and the state Department of Environment Protection. The township is preparing to start the first phase of the project, construction of a pressurized sewer line known as a force main, which will run along the Great Allegheny Passage. Work on that force main will begin as soon as all rights of way have been obtained. A bond issue is being used to cover the cost of the force main. 

“We either needed to build a bigger plant or take the sewage to McKeesport,” said Elizabeth Township Commissioner Rob Rhoderick, who is on the sanitation committee. “We decided to go to McKeesport with our sewage instead of updating the plant.”

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