Connoquenessing Township receives extension for Act 537 Plan submission
CONNOQUENESSING TWP — Supervisors will have more time to weigh Act 537 sewage plan options after the state’s Department of Environmental Protection agreed to a 60-day extension of a prior consent decree.
A submission was originally required by June 21, but supervisors announced that deadline was pushed back to Aug. 20, giving officials more opportunity to gather public input before making a final decision. They also noted that no other modifications were made to the decree.
“This gives us the ability to review and to look at any additional options,” supervisor Angela Fleeger said.
Residents once again flooded the municipal building on Wednesday, June 4, for the supervisors’ monthly meeting, with more than a dozen speaking out against several current options that they claim are fiscally irresponsible.
Pennsylvania’s Act 537 requires municipalities to submit a sewage facilities plan to the Department of Environmental Protection that addresses both current and future needs.
Last week, supervisors held a nearly four-hour public Act 537 Informational Meeting, where representatives from Herbert, Rowland & Grubic, Inc., Saxonburg Area Authority and Pennsylvania American Water gave presentations of alternative plan options.
The sewage system has been an ongoing concern that has sparked controversy among residents.
An on-lot sewage disposal system survey performed in the fall of 2024 for 659 systems within the township revealed that 26% of systems are malfunctioning.
That research assisted HRG, which was contracted by the township to handle engineering and planning, in developing feasible alternatives.
One of the options that received significant scrutiny during a meeting last month was the possible construction of a centralized wastewater treatment plant in the township.
It would take about $53 million to build and would cost users $252 per month upon completion, assuming no supplemental grants are secured. That project would permit the township to use a combination of PENNVEST loans, grants from various sources, private loans and bonds.
It’s unclear how much assistance would be available to potentially decrease the user fee. However, the plan notes that obtaining grant funding would be “an important success factor in order to lower user rates.”
“This HRG plan is too much for our community,” said resident Chris Klink, who noted that cost and possible damage to property have been two of her most pressing concerns.
Other alternative options include regional treatment through the Saxonburg Area Authority or regional treatment by way of Pennsylvania American Water through the former Butler Area Sewer Authority system.
Supervisor Bruce Steinhiser said he preferred the Saxonburg Area Authority plan, noting that cost plays the largest factor in his thinking.
“Saxonburg offers the least expensive way to go,” he said. “It’s that simple. Relying on Pennsylvania American Water is a shot in the dark to get (Department of Environmental Protection) approval. It probably won’t happen.”
There is also a no-action alternative, although, the plan states that option “is reasonably likely to cause environmental damage and risk public health.”
Supervisors will now have to determine whether they want to move forward with submitting a plan to the state at an upcoming meeting in July or August.
“That’s going to depend on the board and whether or not we make the decision to put that on the next meeting’s agenda or utilize our time all the way up through August,” Fleeger said.
