EVANS CITY — The new sewer plant that has been in the works since 2009 is finally up and running at 100 percent.

That’s the word from Tim Schoeffel, chairman of the Evans City Water and Sewer Authority board.

Schoeffel said the $9.3 million plant replaces the antiquated plant built in 1975. He said the old plant, which became overwhelmed by heavy rain and overflowed because it was at full capacity, has been demolished.

The old plant had a treatment capacity of 500,000 gallons per day, while the new one can process 850,000 gallons.

The cost of the new plant has caused residential bills to rise from about $43 to about $75 a month, and commercial and industrial users will see an increase of 74 percent.

However, Schoeffel said the new plant has many advantages.

He said effluence will no longer spill into creeks and waterways during heavy rain, state fines for those overflows should cease, and future customers added on could reduce current customers’ bills.

The new plant is at 50 percent to 60 percent capacity, Schoeffel said. When residential and commercial development comes to Jackson and Forward townships, he said the state Department of Environmental Protection likely will mandate that those customers connect to the new plant.

Schoeffel said the project was completed by the efforts of the authority board members, all of whom are volunteers.

“It was a lot of long hours and hard work,” Schoeffel said. “I’m happy we are where we’re at.”

In addition to Schoeffel, the board members are Ed Tanski, Vito Pilosi III, Cheri Deener and Joe Weltner.

The plant, which first began limited operations in February, is on the north end of town along the Breakneck Creek.