Tarentum receives nearly $100,000 for sewer work along East Seventh Avenue

A sewer project along East Seventh Avenue in Tarentum will be largely paid for by a federal Community Development Block Grant.

The borough was notified June 23 that it will receive nearly $100,000 through the program, which is distributed through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

“We were the lucky recipient of the only Allegheny Valley North Council of Governments grant for sewer and water,” Councilwoman Carrie Fox said.

With the grant, 65% of the work will be paid for.

The total cost is a little more than $150,000.

“For us to get $100,000 out of that is huge,” council President Scott Dadowski said.

Bids are expected to be open in late August, Fox said.

Construction will focus on the end of East Seventh Avenue near South Ormond Street and will divert a spring into the sewer. Work will involve digging under the railroad tracks to connect to a line on Bridge Street.

Last year, the borough was awarded $72,750 on another sewer project that aimed to alleviate overflows along East Seventh Avenue. It included work to separate storm sewers from sewer pipes. That money came from the Redevelopment Authority of Allegheny County.

Councilwoman Lou Ann Homa said there also is an ongoing sanitary sewer lining project. The cost is expected to be $137,000, but borough officials are hoping for grants to offset that.

Of the recently earned CDBG grant, Homa said “obtaining this grant doesn’t affect the budget as it would if the borough had to pay for the entire project.”

“This is the latest example of borough officials addressing community needs,” she said.