Tarentum eyes ways to salvage 'unsustainable' water plant system

Tarentum has experienced eight water main breaks in the past two months.

Ninety percent of the pipes at the water distribution plant are 100 years old.

“Our system is failing,” Manager Dwight Boddorf said. “Anytime we go to replace something, there’s a high chance of collapse.”

Officials are trying to avert catastrophe by devising a plan to salvage the plant and simultaneously replace 14.3 miles of lines.

“The Department of Environmental Protection recommended the borough spend $15 million to replace the plant and the waterlines, or spend $200,000 for the next 20 years on repairs,” he said. “We’re trying to spread this cost out over 20 years so it’s not on the back of taxpayers or in the form of rate increases.”

Council is forging ahead with up to $4 million in grant applications to remedy the failing system, which has become so bad that crews are fixing line breaks on repeat.

Council applied for, but did not receive, similar grants in the same amount last year.

“The system is unsustainable, and we need to try through some different agencies to get this funding,” Boddorf said. “If we don’t get money to fix some problems in the next year or so, we’re going to need another plan to replace the entire system.”

Most of the equipment at the plant is original, or about 100 years old. Some of it was replaced in the mid-1990s.

“We’ve done a good job putting some duct tape on it and keeping it going, but we need something more sustainable,” council President Scott Dadowski said.

Council is considering a rate increase that would start next year.

Costs would go up $1.30 per 1,000 gallons across the board, for all meter sizes. The same increase would apply to East Deer, which purchases water in bulk from Tarentum. Customers are billed every month in Tarentum and quarterly in East Deer.

East Deer Commissioner Tony Taliani said he is not aware of any changes in price but said the board will revisit the township budget if necessary.

Dadowski said the last major upgrade to the plant was in 1994, when mechanical and electrical repairs were made.

“We’ve had multiple issues in the last couple years, particularly in the last couple months,” Boddorf said. “We need a plan.”

The borough is applying for four grants, which include a $452,000 request from the Redevelopment Authority of Allegheny County. The money would be used to make repairs to the water treatment electrical system. Other applications will be made to the Commonwealth Financing Authority, Local Share Account and Gaming and Economic Development Tourism Fund.

Council is seeking up to $1.5 million for the storage tank and pump project, about $500,000 for a raw water intake project and up to $850,000 for mechanical work.

“We’re doing the best we can, but we’re not the only ones in the state who are applying for these grants,” Dadowski said.

If the money comes through, upgrades would be made to pumps, plant controls, meters, mixers for tanks and chemical feeders.

A certain number of lines will be targeted each year for replacement.