By Mark Rosman
Staff Writer
ALLENTOWN – The Borough Council has adopted an ordinance that appropriates $3,030,000 for significant upgrades to Allentown’s waste water treatment plant and authorizes the issuance of bonds in that amount to finance the project.
The bond ordinance was adopted on Nov. 29 with affirmative votes from council President Wil Borkowski, Councilman Robert Strovinsky, Councilwoman Madeline Gavin, Councilwoman Johnna Stinemire, Councilman Rob Schmitt and Councilwoman Angela Anthony.
The vote followed a presentation by Walter Bronson of Dewberry Engineers, Edward Gillette of Environmental Engineering Management Associates, and Borough Engineer Carmela Roberts.
Bronson provided an overview of the project which will consist of “necessary upgrades to the sewer treatment plant” off Breza Road. One issue to be addressed by the upgrades is a situation in which the discharge of ammonia is over the limit set by the state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) for discharge into Doctors Creek, he said.
The treatment plant improvements will bring the water being discharged from the plant into compliance with DEP standards, he said.
“We have met with the DEP and they are happy to see us moving in this direction,” Bronson said, adding that DEP administrators were waiting for the council to approve the bond ordinance.
Information provided by Bronson contains an estimate of $2.05 million for necessary upgrades to the treatment plant. Additional improvements that may be considered by Allentown officials – including an ultraviolet light disinfection system at a cost of $264,500 – could raise the cost of the project to $2.67 million.
The $2.67 million figure does not include soft costs, which may include architectural, engineering, financing and legal fees, and other pre- and post-construction expenses.
Gillette recommended installing the UV light disinfection system at the time of construction.
Roberts recommended putting off the installation of the UV light disinfection system until a later date.
Strovinsky said officials are trying to be conservative in what they are planning.
Borough officials acknowledged that the treatment plant improvements may be the most expensive project they will ever undertake. No decision was made by the council members regarding the UV light disinfection system at the Nov. 29 meeting.
Roberts explained how Allentown expects to receive funding in the form of a loan from the New Jersey Environmental Infrastructure Trust (NJEIT). The interest rate is in the range of about 1 percent, she said.
Schmitt said the bond issue will provide the funding Allentown officials will use to pay back the NJEIT loan over several decades.
Mayor Greg Westfall has said Allentown’s waste water treatment plant was built in 1968 and upgraded in the early 1990s. He said the plant “has not been and is currently not meeting DEP standards for several water quality parameters.”
The mayor said the operation of the plant and its compliance improved greatly when borough officials hired a new operator in January 2016, but he said the plant’s components are in need of significant upgrades.
Westfall said non-compliance with or no progress in working toward compliance with DEP regulations could result in fines of up to $50,000 per day being issued to Allentown.
Bronson said the surface water discharge permit Allentown holds allows for the discharge of up to 238,000 gallons per day of treated waste water into Doctors Creek. He said the system is currently discharging about 150,000 gallons per day.
Bronson said the development of certain projects in the future that would link into the waste water system could bring the plant closer to the 238,000 gallons per day it is permitted to discharge.
During public comment, resident John Fabiano said he does not want officials to “overbuild” the improved treatment plant. He said does not want to accommodate additional development that will strain or change Allentown’s historic character. Put another way, Fabiano said he wants to use sewer capacity as a means of limiting development.