CONNOQUENESSING TWP — With a new Act 537 public sewage plan due in less than a month, township officials announced the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection granted an extension to Sept. 1.

Connoquenessing Township supervisors said at a meeting Wednesday, June 3, they received confirmation from the department last month and work on the revised plan is still ongoing.

“We are still working on the numbers for the individual options, but I would say we’re looking good for the Sept. 1 DEP requirement for us to submit,” Supervisor Mark Williams said.

Williams said there may be a special meeting later in June to “outline options” for the plan in hopes public comment can start in July.

“We do want to start public comment about July so that we can do the public comment and still have time to address anything before we submit to the DEP. I do anticipate a public meeting,” he said.

Wednesday’s meeting was immediately followed by an executive fact-finding session regarding the plan. No other sessions are immediately scheduled, but Williams said he expects more before the plan is finalized.

Work began on a township 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 backlash from residents. However, the plan was rejected in December 2025 — primarily due to high resident costs and agricultural impacts.

The department initially gave the township until July 1 to submit a revised plan, but the township was able to request and receive an extension through Sept. 1.

In its rejection letter, the department also offered advice on how to alter its Act 537 plan and receive an approval. The letter suggested ways to reduce the scope and cost of the project, including prioritizing problem areas such as Winterwood Drive and Eagle Mill, Evans City and Kriess roads.

Since then, Supervisor Angela Fleeger and two new township supervisors, Williams and Ray Kroll, have been working alongside the municipality’s engineer to craft several potential plans.

The next currently scheduled Connoquenessing Township Board of Supervisors meeting is set for 6 p.m. Wednesday, July 1.