SLIPPERY ROCK — Upgrades planned by the Slippery Rock Municipal Authority will improve the borough's sewage and water systems.

The authority garnered two separate loans at about $1.6 million each.

Shaun Brown, the authority's general manager, said both notes will be on 20-year timelines for payoff with interest rates for the PennVEST loans at 1.4 percent for the first five years and 2 percent for the last 15 years.

Between the two projects, the authority will submit requests for bids on four separate contracts — three for a set of sewer projects and one for a water line project.

The sewer project involves replacing 2,000 linear feet of pressure main lines and 600 linear feet of gravity sewer line under the area around the intersection of Main and New Castle streets.

“We've had multiple failures in the pressure sewer main over the years,” Brown said. “It's at the end of its useful life.”

Also involved in the sewer project will be replacing a belt filter press at the wastewater treatment plant, which is used to dry the sludge that is later sent to an approved landfill.

“The belt filter press we currently have is 20 years old, and it uses a large volume of water in the process,” Brown said.

Brown said the authority will replace the current filter with a more modern system known as a rotary press. He said the new press would pay for itself through increased efficiency.

“It should produce a dryer product. It'll be lighter and cost less,” Brown said. “The press should essentially pay for itself in eight to nine years just on the water reduction and weight reduction we'll be sending to the landfill.”

The second project will address a problem that many residents have noticed.

With the second loan, the authority plans to replace about 5,500 linear feet of water main on North Main Street from West Liberty Road to Park Lane Drive.

“We're just replacing outdated old various sizes of pipe along this stretch,” Brown said.

He said the new pipes will be eight-inch C-900 PVC mains that are up-to-date with today's standards.

“Some pipes could be as old as 100 years old,” Brown said.

Brown said outdated mains have broken between nine and 10 times over the past few years.

Gene Allison, vice president of Slippery Rock Borough Council, said the municipal authority is addressing important needs for the borough and surrounding area.

“I'm all for preventive maintenance. Nothing lasts forever,” Allison said. “By doing this on (our) terms, you save money and don't interrupt services long. It all should be good.”

Borough council recently extended the life span of the authority until 2045 and must give approval for it to take on debt. Allison said the vote would be more a formality as the authority operates largely on its own.

“It used to keep a check and balance on things,” he said.

Allison said he trusts the judgment of the municipal authority's board.

“They run a good ship,” he said. “They have a very healthy budget.”

Brown said the bids could be advertised in early March and a prebid meeting could be held later that month. He said if everything goes as planned, the bid openings could be in early April.

“So far, we're on pace for that,” Brown said.