Butler County getting $1.25 million for business park water and sewage system
The county is getting the last $1.25 million grant needed to replace the Allegheny-Clarion Valley Business Park water and sewer system.
County officials announced Wednesday that they received confirmation from the Appalachian Regional Commission about the approval of the grant, which will be used for the $4.66 million project aimed at bringing clean drinking water and a safe sewer system to the park where more than 400 people work.
The facility is currently served by a failing water/wastewater facility that has been cited by the Department of Environmental Protection for serious deficiencies.
County commissioners said they will have to vote on accepting the ARC grant agreement at their May 24 meeting because the agreement came too late to be placed on the agenda for Wednesday’s meeting.
The rest of the project funding is coming from federal American Rescue Plan grants the county has received, said Mark Gordon, county chief of economic development and planning.
“Without this DEP mandated corrective action, the serious public health and safety issues created by the deteriorating systems could have led to substantial job loss and an economic downturn that would reverberate throughout Butler County,” Gordan said in a Wednesday news release. “Instead, with the completion of this project, capacity of the new systems will create opportunity for development and growth that was not previously available.”
The 400 people employed at the Allegheny-Clarion Valley Business Park make a combined annual payroll of $30 million, according to the news release.
He called the ARC grant the final piece of funding for the project.
A portion of this story is shared with you as a digital media exclusive. More will be available later for subscribers. Please consider supporting our local, independent newsroom by subscribing at butlereagle.com.
