Freeport's new sewage treatment plant to cost $134K more than expected
A new West Penn Power policy will force Freeport to spend an additional $80,000 on electrical work for its new sewage treatment facility.
Crews must lay power lines between the perimeter fence and control room underground instead of overhead, leading to the change order requested by Robert Horvat of KLH Engineers.
Freeport Council was unable to reach a quorum, or the minimum number of members present to vote, on Tuesday, meaning no decision was made that evening.
The borough approved four other change orders totaling $54,000 in November.
Including the five change orders, the project is expected to cost about $18.8 million, up $134,000 from the original estimate.
The bulk of the funding is coming from an $11 million Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority grant. The federal Environmental Protection Agency put up another $1.5 million.
The remainder is being covered by the borough, through bond issues and municipal savings.
To manage this debt, Freeport has been phasing in a series of sewage rate hikes. Residents have seen their monthly sewage surcharge climb from about $49 to $96 in recent years, including a $7 hike implemented at the start of 2025.
Because of a delay in receiving certain electrical components, estimated project completion has been pushed back to next January, Horvat said. That’s three to four months later than what engineers originally anticipated.
The plant, however, could be operational as soon as September with the rest of the finishing touches taking up the rest of the construction work.
For Borough Manager Zachary Filous, who doubles as the small borough’s sewage administrator, September can’t come soon enough.
“I’m putting Band-Aids on Band-Aids right now,” Filous said of the existing facility.
The new plant will treat 3 million gallons of wastewater a day, up from 1 million, minimizing discharge into Buffalo Creek, a tributary of the Allegheny River, and aligning Freeport with state and federal environmental standards.
Jack Troy is a TribLive reporter covering the Freeport Area and Kiski Area school districts and their communities. He also reports on Penn Hills municipal affairs. A Pittsburgh native, he joined the Trib in January 2024 after graduating from the University of Pittsburgh. He can be reached at jtroy@triblive.com.
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