CONNOQUENESSING TWP — Township officials are moving forward with submitting a new sewer plan to the state Department of Environmental Protection, but not every resident impacted under the plan was left satisfied with the final results.

Township supervisors voted unanimously at a special meeting Monday evening, Aug. 17, to move forward with submitting the township’s revised plan ahead of a Sept. 1 deadline.

The lead alternative, Alternative D-1, is a $9.15 million plan which uses a gravity system and lift station to service 127 equivalent dwelling units. It is planned for immediate construction following approval. Alternative B2B, which also uses a gravity system and lift station to service 115 equivalent dwelling units, is tentatively planned to come afterward.

The township is looking to have the lion’s share covered by PENNVEST and other state grant and loan programs.

According to a presentation made available on the township website, the plan targeted a user rate of $120 to $200 per month or 1.7% to 2.8% of the average township resident’s median household income.

The township would need $6.1 million in grant funds to reach a monthly cost of $142.64, or 2% of median household income. To lower that monthly cost to $107.04, or 1.5% of the median, the township would need $7.5 million in grants.

Work began on a sewage plan in 2023 when the township received a letter from the DEP stating it was in violation of the 1966 Pennsylvania Sewage Facilities Act for failing to implement public sewage.

In July 2025, the board voted 2-1 to submit a plan that faced significant backlash from residents. However, the plan was rejected by the DEP in December 2025, primarily due to high resident costs and agricultural impacts.

In July 2026, township Supervisor Angela Fleeger and two supervisors who had just been elected, Mark Williams and Ray Kroll, voted unanimously to approve advertising a new plan. The public comment period ended Aug. 8, clearing the way for submission.

The township estimates DEP approval in January 2027, PENNVEST funding awarded in April 2028, bidding in October 2028, construction beginning in March 2029 and completion in September 2030.

Before public comment could even begin, Fleeger took time to clarify a few things. Chiefly, she reminded residents the plan is a result of a consent order by the DEP, not a choice from township officials.

“We have worked extraordinarily hard communicating with the DEP so that they know where we are step by step, so that they also understand that we take this very seriously,” she said. “We want to solve the problem as responsibly as possible in keeping everyone’s needs in mind. But it is a safety issue at the end of the day and we have to take action and do something with it.”

She said the plan represents the minimal work the township can do while meeting DEP requirements.

Jason Stanton, township engineer, also clarified individual costs may fluctuate, but $5,000 to $8,000, plus a $3,000 tap in fee, would be a reasonable estimate.

Joining township officials Monday was state Rep. Aaron Bernstine, R-8th, who walked residents through the process after the township’s submission. He said several municipalities in his district have dealt with the same issue.

He said it is better to have the township in control of the sewer plan than the DEP, which would assume control if the township failed to implement a plan.

“The DEP has basically said, ‘You have to do something or we’re going to require you to do X, Y, Z.’ What I would share with you is, in my experience with that, you don’t want the DEP to determine what X, Y, Z is,” he said.

Bernstine said getting funding would be a combined effort o the township and county, state and federal government. He added grants are available to help cover individual costs, and his office would offer to help facilitate the process.

During public comment, many used their time to direct questions to the supervisors or to Stanton. Others used it as an opportunity to recognize the failings of previous boards to do anything about the issue.

“(The township) should have been enforcing their ordinances years ago, but they didn’t want to step on anybody’s toes and now they’re all gone,” resident Ray Atkinson said.

Others, such as Donna Zang, pointed out remaining concerns with the plan.

“When they calculated the affordability costs, the things listed in the plan are cable internet, TV service and cellphone service. I’m sorry, but that is not an accurate comparison. We probably all have them in some form or another. However, we have options. We can shop for those things. We are being forced into this plan,” she said.

Fleeger said she will work with supervisors to offer another informational meeting with open resident questions about the plan in September.

The next scheduled supervisor meeting is set for 6 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 2.