As part of the regional effort to reduce wet weather flows to the Johnstown Redevelopment Authority’s Sewage Treatment Plant, Lorain Borough is currently under a Consent Order and Agreement (COA) with the PA Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).  The intent of the regional effort is to ultimately eliminate raw wastewater overflows through the elimination of inflow and infiltration (I/I) within the various collection systems included in the region and through the upgrade of system components.  The COA with the PaDEP requires compliance with reduced flow limits by June 30, 2021.  It also requires all properties be pressure tested by the same date.  

The Borough hired Keller Engineers, Inc. of Hollidaysburg to design, permit and inspect construction of the new facilities.

PennVEST funding in the amount of $5,073,000.00 was obtained for the project.  A $2,689,800.00 grant and $2,384,000.00 loan for the project was awarded in January 2017.

The project consists of replacing the entire wastewater collection system, at the same location as the existing.  The existing wastewater collection system serves approximately 300 homes and businesses.  It consists of approximately 22,000 feet of main line, 8,000 feet of lateral pipe and nearly 140 manholes are being replaced with new SDR 35 PVC pipe, along with the related appurtenances and restoration.  All mains, manholes and laterals will be pressure tested. 

Kukurin Construction of Export, Pa was low bidder for the construction of the project at a cost of $3,948,948.00.  

The contractor began construction in mid to late March 2020.  The construction contract is for 300 calendar days.  There was a month-long delay due to Covid-19.

The contractor should have main pipe replacement completed this week with only a few laterals to go. A majority of the testing is up to date.

A majority of the paving restoration and concrete work is completed. They will be working on seeding, yard touch-up and other misc items over the next 2-3 weeks. If grass doesn’t grow, they will be back in the spring to fix, along with other items that arise over the winter.

The Borough customers’ bills were recently increased to $30.00 per month to the Borough for the collection system debt and operation and maintenance.  The property owner also pays either $27.00/month or $17.00/month to the Johnstown Redevelopment Authority (JRA) for sewage treatment.  If the property owners’ lateral has been pressure tested the cost is reduced to $17.00/month.  

The Borough will be paying an annual loan payment of approximately $92,000.00/year to PennVEST.  This amount is equal to $28.00 of the $30.00 you are paying the Borough.  The remainder is for billing and operation and maintenance.

As required by the PaDEP Consent Order and Agreement, property owners are required to pressure test their lateral and make repairs and replacement, as required to insure water tightness.  This work can be completed at any time.  To date, approximately 100 residents have completed their lateral work.  Once the work is completed and testing passed, the certification is submitted to the Johnstown Redevelopment Authority.  The JRA will then reduce the customers treatment cost to $17.00 a month.

Once the lateral work is completed, the user rate will be $30.00/month from the Borough and $17.00 from JRA for the total bill of $47.00/month.  The end result is the total sewer bill will remain at $47.00.  Previously it was $20.00/month to the Borough and $27.00/month to JRA.

There are no tap or connection fees for this project.  The homeowner will be required to pay a $75.00 inspection fee payable to Lorain Borough for verification of testing of the lateral.  The inspection firm receives $50.00 of that fee.

Information concerning available funding programs for wastewater lateral construction from the JRA, 1st Summit Bank, and PennVEST are available for viewing on the Lorain Borough’s web site at www.lorainborough.org

Information concerning construction of the homeowner’s lateral is available for viewing on the Lorain Borough’s web site at www.lorainborough.org

If you have any questions or concerns about the construction or during construction, the Keller Engineers Inspectors will be available on site to answer your questions.

Any other questions can be directed to the Lorain Borough office.