CRANBERRY TWP — The township’s engineering staff Wednesday night told Cranberry’s supervisors that they favor a $64.8 million plan to upgrade the Brush Creek sewage treatment plant.

Director of engineering Jason Kratsas said that he and his staff for more than a year have been studying seven options for upgrading the plant.

He said the staff favors an option that comes with two phases of construction.

Under preliminary plans, crews would break ground on the first phase in July 2015. That phase is expected to cost more than $44 million.

The second phase, Kratsas said, likely wouldn’t begin for another 10 years or so, if only for the fact that state regulations and permitting procedures are always changing.

The gap between the two phases would give the township flexibility in responding to the ever-changing regulations to ensure that the township would still be in compliance with the rules.

That second phase is expected to cost about $20 million.

Township manager Jerry Andree previously said that Cranberry must upgrade the treatment facility because its permit is set to expire in 2017, and it cannot be renewed unless it’s in compliance with the changing rules.

Also, the township’s population is expected to climb significantly in the next several decades, requiring more sewage treatment capacity.

Regardless of the engineering staff’s recommendations or preferences, the board of supervisors has the final say on which option to pursue.

The board will vote next week on a plan to upgrade the facility.