FREEPORT — The borough is moving forward with construction of a new $11.5 million sewage treatment plant.

Council President Rick Hastings said he does not anticipate the project impacting property taxes.

Hastings said the borough would seek grant funding and Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority loans.

“That may bring the cost back a little bit,” he said.

He said emerging technology may lessen that $11.5 million estimate.

Although Freeport had the option of tying into the Upper Allegheny Joint Sanitary Authority system in Tarentum, Hastings said the cost difference to residents would be minimal.

According to a borough study, residents would pay $116 monthly for sewage service with a new plant as opposed to $109 monthly if the borough was tied into the authority.

Hastings said the key factor in building a new plant to replace the roughly 50-year-old facility on Market Street is maintaining control of its sewage service.

“That seemed to be the big issue,” he said.

Hastings cited the consensus of council and residents he spoke to was build a new plant.

Council last week voted 5-0 to construct a new plant. Council members Matthew Crytzer and Sean McCalmont were absent.

Mayor Jim Swartz opposes the decision, saying he expects the cost to even exceed $11.5 million.

“It will be more than that,” Swartz said.

He also questioned whether the borough would be able to secure sufficient government funding.

Hastings said the new treatment plant would be constructed near the current one. For March, 783 residences received sewage service.

Even if the borough would reverse course, tying into the Upper Allegheny authority is not a sure thing. The authority needs the approval of the federal Environmental Protection Agency to add Freeport to the system.

In the interim, the borough is under a June 1 deadline to submit a plan on handling sewage treatment to the state Department of Environmental Protection.

Swartz said the borough should be doing everything it can to make the Upper Allegheny plan work.

“Deadlines can be extended,” he said.

Freeport's current plant needs to be upgraded because it does not meet state and federal guidelines by capturing at least 85 percent of the flow during the treatment process.

“With our discharges, we're not meeting 85 percent,” Swartz said.

The mayor questioned why the vote came up Monday when the issue was not on the agenda.

“You spend $11.5 million and you don't even have it on the agenda?” he asked.

Swartz asked why council suddenly wants to move forward when the issue is not new.

“They weren't in a rush for three years,” he said.

Swartz criticized Councilman Don Rehner for making the motion, when Rehner has not attended any special meetings discussing the issue.

Rehner could not be reached for comment.

Hastings stated in a email that Rehner informed him before the meeting he was intending to bring up the topic for a vote.

“I do ask for agenda items the week before a meeting,” Hastings wrote. “However, it is not uncommon for us to discuss items or make motions on items not on the agenda.”