County getting $1.25 million for A-C Valley business park water and sewage systems
Butler County is getting the last $1.25 million grant needed to replace the failing Allegheny-Clarion Valley Business Park water and sewer systems.
County officials announced Wednesday, May 10, that they had just received confirmation from the Appalachian Regional Commission about the approval of the grant 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.
County commissioners said they will have to vote on the ARC grant agreement at their May 24 meeting because the agreement arrived too late to be placed on the agenda for Wednesday’s meeting.
The rest of the project funding is coming from a state grant received in 2020, federal American Rescue Plan funding received last year and other grants, said Mark Gordon, county chief of economic development and planning.
He called the ARC grant the final piece of funding for the project, which is sorely needed because the park water is under a do-not-consume order that was issued by the state Department of Environmental Protection in January. The DEP cited the facility and the current owner about two months ago, Gordon said. Drinking water is being delivered to business tenants of the park, he added.
When the project is completed in early 2024, ownership of the facility will be transferred from current owner Allegheny-Clarion Industrial Development Corp. to the Allegheny Township Water and Wastewater Authority, Gordon said.
Commissioner Kevin Boozel said the water and sewer systems do not comply with current state regulations because they are located in the same building.
Leslie Osche, chairwoman of the county commissioners, said the water and sewer systems have not been properly maintained over the years and are now in critical condition.
The county provided the water treatment facility with salt needed for treatment because it couldn’t afford it, Boozel said.
Construction is expected to be completed in late January, and compliance checks and testing will be completed by the end of March, Gordon said.
He said Allegheny Township is beginning to plan an expansion of sewer service to areas outside of the park, and that Scrubgrass Township in neighboring Venango County has expressed interest in having a service extension.
Osche said there is room in the park for more tenants and there is a vacant building in the park.
The current park tenants have a combined annual payroll of $30 million, Gordon said.
