ASHLAND - The Ashland Area Municipal Authority will apply for grant funding to replace a water distribution line, though there are options as to which one would be selected.
Natalie L. O'Connor, E.I.T., senior designer with Alfred Benesch & Co., explained the new grant opportunity during AAMA's March meeting. Benesch is the authority's consulting engineers.
"CFA came out with a new set of grant opportunities and one of them was PA Small Water and Sewer grant," O'Connor said to the board.
The state Department of Community and Economic Development made the announcement last month that the Commonwealth Financing Authority will begin accepting applications for the PA Small Water and Sewer Program to support smaller projects to improve public water supply and sanitary sewer systems.
"The program is eligible for projects between $50,000 and $150,000," O'Connor said. "It's good for any kind of construction involving water or sewer and good for up to 10 percent of the design, inspection fees and permit fees. It is only a 15 percent match, so if we have a $100,000 project, we could get $85,000 for a grant and then only have to put $15,000 towards it."
If the authority is successful in being awarded a grant, O'Connor said there are different sections in the distribution system that could be addressed.
"There are quite a few projects that I felt fell into this range, including the Laurel Street/Ruth Road project in Fountain Springs, 13th and Chestnut streets and Sixth and Middle streets in Ashland," O'Connor said. "All three of these projects where pipe needs to be replaced fall into the $125,000 to $150,000 range. There were some other distribution line projects, but since they're on state highways, they're going to cost a little bit more."
O'Connor said the potential line replacement projects were chosen due to chronic problems.
"These are good projects for the grant, especially for the number of leaks that you've had," she said. "I can remember just in the last year or two near the daycare (Middle Street between Fifth and Sixth streets) there were different leaks."
"Is there one project more critical than others to be done?" board member Lawrence Madden asked.
O'Connor replied that she would need to talk to the street crew to determine which area or areas have had frequent water leaks and repairs that would warrant replacement.
The CFA will accept applications through May 16. According to DCED media release, there will be $3 million available for projects initially.
Eligible projects involve the construction, improvement, expansion, repair or rehabilitation of a water supply or sanitary sewer system that is owned or maintained by an eligible applicant, which are municipalities or municipal authorities.
O'Connor said Benesch can complete the grant application on a time and materials basis not to exceed $1,000. Since a resolution must be accepted by the board to submit the grant application, the board did not take any action on it, but will do so at the Apr. 28 meeting. The board did approve Benesch to begin working on the application.
After the meeting, O'Connor said the basic projects will replace the water main at the selected street for the entire length of the block.
"We have areas where there is a break after a break after a break," borough Manager Raymond Jones Jr. said.