The borough of Chicora and the Municipality Authority of Buffalo Township are each set to receive a chunk of the COVID-19 American Rescue Plan Act H2O PA grant money from the Commonwealth Financing Authority.

Chicora has been awarded $1.5 million to fund the replacement of existing water lines in the community, while Buffalo Township received $600,000, which will be used for the Route 228 West/Ekastown area water line extension project, according to the Authority.

In total, the state is awarding $105,600,000 to municipalities and boroughs throughout the commonwealth through these grants.

“These grants represent key investments in the future of these communities by protecting public health and ensuring a clean, reliable water supply for area residents,” state Rep. Marci Mustello, R-11th, said. “Our local officials in Buffalo Township and Chicora have done an excellent job in assessing the needs of these water systems and planning for improvements.”

The grants were approved Dec. 19 by the Commonwealth Financing Authority and are funded from multiple sources, with the largest being federal American Rescue Plan Act money appropriated for recreation and conservation as part of previous Pennsylvania state budgets.

“You just have to keep advocating for the communities,” Mustello said. “I really want to help all the communities in my district. There is only so much money to go around and the grants are very competitive.”

State Sen. Scott Hutchinson, R-21st, said the water line projects will “ensure clean and reliable water service to businesses and residents” while also easing the financial burden on these communities.

Chuck Craig, certified water operator with Chicora, said he along with the help of Mustello, Hutchinson, the Butler County commissioners and the Community Development Corporation of Butler County were all involved in getting the grant approved by the state.

“The next step is executing all the documentation for the grant with the state,” Craig said. “Then we are looking at getting money from Butler County’s Municipal Infrastructure Program.”

The total cost of the project will be about $2.3 million, Craig said, so it will be up to the borough to find other ways to get the remaining sum, such as the Infrastructure Program.

Craig said most of the project will consist of replacing almost 7,000 feet of water lines that were installed in the 1960s, which will benefit the roughly 900 residents of the borough.

“The areas are problematic for leaks,” Craig said. “It will also improve water quality with the new pipes even though we have not had any major issues as far as quality.”

According to Kristy Donaldson, authority manager with the Municipal Authority of Buffalo Township, its water line extension project will provide public water service and fire protection to 82 homes located along portions of Sarver Road, Sunny Lane, Kimberly Drive, Carol Drive and Crescent Hill Drive, which are all located in Buffalo Township.

“Over the past two years, the majority of residents in this area have approached the Authority with concerns of poor water quality and quantity produced by their private well systems,” Donaldson said. “The Authority’s goal is to address these concerns by providing safe, reliable and affordable water service to these residents.”

Donaldson said design and permitting of the project has been complete, with the project bid being awarded to Mortimer’s Excavation of West Middlesex.

She said the project is slated to begin in late spring 2024 and be finished by that fall.

“The estimated cost of the project is $1,256,000,” Donaldson said. “We will receive $500,000 in grant money from Butler County’s Municipal Infrastructure Program and $600,000 from the Commonwealth Financing Authority.”