Sharpsburg sewer project aims to alleviate overflows

Work is underway on a sewer project in Sharpsburg that is expected to remove more than 6 million gallons of overflows along Clay Street.

A section of the road will be shut down for more than three months.

The project targets the section between Sixth and Eighth streets, from the Sharpsburg Family Worship Center to St. Juan Diego Parish.

Mayor Matt Rudzki said construction is expected to last 12 weeks, but could take up to 15, which would put the project into January.

The sewer separation work is aimed at alleviating backups in basements that happen frequently after a storm.

The cost is about $566,000.

“Everyone knows what it is like after a heavy rain in Sharpsburg,” Councilman Jon Jaso said. “Water comes down the hill from Kittanning (Pike) and Ravine (Street) into our town and floods very quickly.”

Rudzki said work along Clay Street is an ancillary project to the upcoming Ravine Street stream removal project.

He said ALCOSAN estimated work will remove 6.2 million gallons of inflow from the area.

“During recent wet weather events in Sharpsburg, we have had flooding issues with Sixth and Clay streets, particularly from runoff from Route 28 and Ravine Street,” Rudzki said.

“The Clay Street project will help ease the impact of heavy rains and property damage by removing millions of gallons of water from the sewer system that otherwise would end up on our streets and in homes and businesses.”

The nearby Ravine Street work is expected to cost $3.5 million. It is a sewer separation that stretches from High Street to the Allegheny River and will also remove millions of gallons of water from the combined sewer system to help mitigate flooding.

Stormwater originates in small streams in O’Hara and Shaler, and some contributed from Route 28. A new pipe will divert water to the river from the ALCOSAN system.

Residents who need to get a temporary parking permit for a metered space on Main Street should call the borough police at 412-781-0546, ext. 3.