Southmont sewer project doesn't yet pass muster

Russ O Reilly, The Tribune-Democrat, Johnstown, Pa.
·2 min read

Sep. 21—Southmont Borough's public sewer project is complete, but a recent meter reading of sewage output showed it wouldn't be acceptable to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.

However, the borough isn't missing the mark by much, project engineer Todd Banks said during Southmont Borough Council's monthly meeting on Monday.

The borough's peak hourly flow is about 14,000 gallons over the target flow rate set by consent order of the DEP.

Southmont's meter readings were taken this month after the recent Hurricane Ida dropped several inches of rain on the region, he said.

So there's still too much stormwater overflow going from Southmont to the region's sewage system at peak storm hours, he said.

But he suspected the target flow rate could be met easily, as soon as 100% of the borough's individual property owners conduct repairs of ground-water infiltration. To date, there are about 240 properties that haven't met compliance, according to borough secretary Amanda Layton.

Layton said about half of those property owners are in the process of taking steps to address their pipes in accordance with the borough's consent decree with the Department of Environmental Protection to reduce stormwater infiltration of pipes and overflow into streams.

All municipalities served by the Johnstown Redevelopment Authority's sewage treatment plant have undertaken the same project.

In other news from the meeting, two projects are ongoing to repair infrastructure around the borough's streams.

Banks estimated the the borough's "Overbrook stream bank-stabilization project" will cost $800,000.

Shady Lane is being eroded away because of the stream running parallel to it. However, Banks said the project can be done over time, as needed.

Securing permits for the project alone will take about a year, he said.

Councilman Kevin Pile said the borough should apply for county funds and keep an eye on federal funds, similar to the type that may be able to fund the borough's Cheney Run headwall project, which is behind Leon and State streets and is at at risk of falling. At previous meetings, the council said the Cheney Run project could cost $137,000.

The borough will be ready to seek bids in a week and open them in October, council President Sheree Speicher said.

Speicher said the borough has learned that federal funds from this year's American Rescue Plan can be used to defray the cost of that project.