Plum Borough Municipal Authority completed three projects totaling $2 million in 2022 and has plans for three more this year that are expected to cost about $1.73 million, according to the authority’s annual drinking water quality report for 2022.
In the report, the authority said its drinking water meets federal and state requirements. No violations for chemical and microbial contaminants, or lead and copper, were reported.
The authority buys finished drinking water from the Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County, which obtains water from the Beaver Run Reservoir. The Plum authority serves about 9,300 water customers, mostly within the borough, authority Manager J. Howard Theis said.
In 2022, the authority completed waterline replacement projects on Sardis Road, Maple Street and Entrance Drive.
The second phase of the Sardis Road project started near the Allegheny County line and ran to Renton Road. It included installing about 4,858 feet of 12-inch pipe, 12 new valves and five new fire hydrants.
On Maple Street, 912 feet of 6-inch waterline, eight new valves and one fire hydrant were installed and 32 service lines were replaced.
The work on Entrance Drive consisted of installing 1,492 feet of 8-inch pipe, seven new main valves and one fire hydrant.
While work on one of three upgrade projects planned for 2023 is underway, when the other two will start is not yet known, Theis said.
The $480,000 Davidson Road waterline replacement project is expected to be finished by mid-year. It consists of installing about 1,700 feet of 8-inch pipe.
The borough plans to resurface the road later in the year.
Theis said when work on the other two projects will start depends on when the authority gets word on a state grant to help pay for one of them.
According to Theis, the authority is seeking a $415,000 grant for the third phase of work on Sardis Road. At a total cost of $900,000 for the project, the authority’s share would be $485,000.
The phase includes 6,800 feet of 12-inch waterline plus valves, hydrants and service lines, Theis said.
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Theis said the authority did not get an answer on its grant application by the end of May, as was hoped. He said the authority expects to get word on the grant soon. With favorable weather, the work can be completed by the end of the year.
While the authority waits for word on the grant for Sardis Road, Theis said a project to repaint the Logans Ferry water tank continues to be delayed.
The authority has the required state permits to paint the tank, expected to cost $350,000. Theis said the authority is prepared to seek bids, but that has been put on hold because it has to provide its share of the Sardis Road project’s cost.
Because the tank can be painted only in summer, Theis said it may not be done this year.
Brian C. Rittmeyer is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Brian by email at brittmeyer@triblive.com or via Twitter .
Questions?
Those seeking more information about Plum's drinking water can contact Joe Seward, certified operator, or J. Howard Theis, manager, at 412-793-7331 between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. weekdays.
The municipal authority's board of directors meets at 6 p.m. the third Thursday of each month at 4555 New Texas Road.