SPRINGFIELD TWP, Mercer County — Officials are optimistic about the progress of infrastructure upgrades that would allow for development in the Route 208 corridor.

With hotels, restaurants, retail businesses and residential development anticipated in the area, there is an immediate need for sewer and water service.

Sewer service is provided to the area by the Grove City wastewater treatment plant, owned and operated by the borough.

However, the plant needs about $11 million in improvements, which will increase its capacity by 330,000 gallons. Some of that work is also maintenance required to keep the plant running, borough manager Vance Oakes said.

The system serves customers in six municipalities: Grove City and Harrisville boroughs and Mercer, Liberty, Pine and Springfield townships.

The largest need for increased capacity comes from Springfield Township, said George Pokrant, Grove City borough council president.

During the past several months, engineers and lawyers for both Springfield and Grove City have been discussing and reviewing a new intermunicipal agreement that would divide the cost of debt service for the $11 million in improvements among the six municipalities, Pokrant said.

After a council of governments meeting Oct. 21, the municipalities have a verbal agreement on division of cost, but Springfield Township is still reviewing the new agreement.

Pokrant said the borough hopes to hear from Springfield by the end of December so the agreement can be approved and it can proceed with filing for permits with the state Department of Environmental Protection and putting the project out for bid.

The project will be covered by loans and bonds, though the borough is investigating a potential grant, Pokrant said.

Buhl Community Water Co. is also moving forward with several upgrades to increase its capacity for anticipated development along Route 208.

Buhl is a private, nonprofit, cooperative that serves about 75 customers, including Grove City Premium Outlets.

Gloria Coates, executive director of Buhl’s business division, said the company is waiting for DEP approval for upgrades that would allow it to take on additional customers.

It is planning to install a larger pump on one of its two wells. It already upgraded the pump on the other well, though it will not increase water volume until it gets DEP approval.

Buhl is also planning a geographic information system that would map out the system, including where plastic pipes are buried.

Last year, the company took an old storage tank out and installed a new 500,000 gallon tank, increasing its capacity.

The state regulates how much water and water pressure the company has available at any time, so that there would be sufficient flow to fire hydrants in case of a fire, Coates said.