The Butler Area Sewer Authority today submitted its application to the state seeking state funds for a sewage project.

Because the cost of the Deshon holding tank work has increased by $2.7 million, BASA members hope they make the state's final loan cut.

BASA members met today to discuss what happened to inflate the cost of the tanks from $5.8 million to $8.3 million.

John Schon, a BASA engineer, said the Butler Township fire marshal requested a secondary access road to the tank that will require major site preparation.

Schon said because the slope is so great — the tanks will be into the hill — sheet pilings will have to be put in to hold the hill back for the road and tanks.

Sheeting piling involves driving steel beams into the ground and then driving steel plates between the beams.

The land the authority bought last year from the township, which is next to the township's salt barn, is fill, which the tanks cannot be built on, but Schon said the authority had no choice but to use the land to avoid using park land or buying private land and taking it off the tax rolls.

BASA will build seven holding tanks, which will hold water-laden sewage and slowly release that sewage to the treatment plant.

The cost increase to install the tanks is just one reason BASA board members hope to get a PennVEST loan.

BASA expects to start construction on this project this year because it needs to be done by 2012.