The county's new infrastructure bank will lend $500,000 to Marion Township, as officials attempt to figure out a more economical way to solve a sewer problem they didn't ask for.

Mark Gordon, the county's director of planning and economic development, told county commissioners at their Wednesday meeting that Marion Township has applied for a low-interest loan through the infrastructure bank to improve the sewer processing system that serves 24 homes in the Boyers area.

The lagoon treatment system, Gordon explained, was privately owned for many years and the owner was financially unable to perform the upgrades required by the state Department of Environmental Protection.

Ownership of the system was then transferred to the township by the DEP.

The township hired an engineering firm to assess the problem, and that firm recommended $4 million in repairs to bring the system up to DEP standards.

“What was not done in (the engineering firm's) analysis was a good evaluation of alternatives (to correct the deficiencies),” Gordon said. “There are alternatives.”

He said Marion supervisors applied to the infrastructure bank for $500,000 to pay for preliminary engineering and design of upgrades, as they realize the current system is a public health and safety issue.

“That actually makes a lot of sense,” Gordon said.

Kiana Tralongo of the engineering firm HRG, who works with the infrastructure bank, said the township's plan has been approved by the DEP and the next step is to move forward with design for repairs.

She said Marion Township would then have its DEP permits in hand, which would allow officials to apply for the $4 million in financing.

But Tralongo predicted that the small township will struggle to find a grant for 75 percent of the project, which she said is the amount they need.

“They may be forced to look at other (repair) alternatives,” Tralongo said.

Wendy Leslie, the county's Community Development Block Grant coordinator, said once an upgraded system is available, a total of 111 homes would connect. The 87 additional homes have failing on-lot septic systems, Leslie said.

Gordon told the commissioners that approving the $500,000 would not commit the county to any funding for the sewer project, but would buy Marion Township time to consider options for sewer service.

Leslie Osche, the commissioners chairman, said she is aware of creative solutions in other places. She said $4 million for 111 homes seems excessive.

“That's not something that would financially make sense for them to get involved with,” Osche said.

The commissioners voted unanimously to approve the loan for Marion, as well as one for West Sunbury for a $350,000 fix to a discharge issue with its wastewater system.