WEST SUNBURY — Borough council voted last week to extend its municipal authority another 50 years, citing ongoing projects as the reason.

Council President Joy Young Berteotti said the borough has two pressing projects it would like to finish, and the authority makes the borough more appealing when applying for grants, which will especially be helpful for the borough's sewage system overhaul.

The first project is the replacement of a pump station for the sewage system. The authority received $119,797 in state Community Development Block Grant funds for the project.

“The project is currently under construction, and it is my understanding should be operational (this week,)” Berteotti said. “This project does have a substantial completion goal for the work which is April 20.”

Berteotti said the second project is still being planned. The project's primary goal is to install a tertiary treatment system at the sewage facility which will reduce ammonium nitrate in the discharge stream.

In 2012, the state Department of Environmental Protection's discharge parameters for one of its permits were changed to include an ammonium nitrate reduction requirement, according to Berteotti.

“Since the existing sewage treatment facility was not originally designed to remove ammonia, changes need to be made,” she said.

Berteotti said there are also additional plans to replace or rehabilitate aged equipment and electrical components. She said the authority has already acquired permits for all the upgrades for the second project.

Berteotti said the authority is awaiting only financing. She said the authority applied in February for a $350,000 grant from the state Department of Community and Economic Development.

“If a grant is not received, the authority will pursue other financing,” Berteotti said.