CRANBERRY TWP — Township sewage customers will likely be paying more for that service to fund an expansion of the Brush Creek Water Pollution Control Facility on Powell Road.

The plant’s expansion, which will increase the treatment capacity from 4.5 million gallons to 6 million per day, is needed to keep up with the community’s growth.

The expansion is projected to cost $18 million to $20 million. Construction could begin in 2015 and be done in 2016.

To pay for the project, the township supervisors will vote Tuesday on increasing sewage rates by $1.49 per 1,000 gallons used.

The current rate of $5.67 per 1,000 gallons used would increase to $7.16 per 1,000 gallons. The new rates would go into effect Aug. 23.

Officials said an average customer will see a monthly increase of about $8. That average bill will go up to $43 from $35 a month.

The rate increase is expected to generate $930,000 in revenue annually.

In addition, the township will raise tap-in fees for new homes from $1,784 to $2,184, an increase of $400.

That increase will generate another $480,000 annually to pay for the improvements.

“It’s something we have to do. It’s the cost (of the project),” said supervisors’ chairman Bruce Mazzoni at the supervisors’ meeting Thursday evening.

“We’ve pushed this off as far as we could,” said Cranberry manager Jerry Andree.

He explained the township has extended the life of its treatment plant but the community growth has increased the need for treatment capacity.

The last time the Cranberry sewage treatment plant expanded was in 1999.