Authority to replace leak-prone Pleasant Unity sewer
Unity Township Municipal Authority is moving forward with plans to replace a leak-prone sanitary sewer main in Pleasant Unity and to extend sewage service to two businesses on Donohoe Road.
The authority Wednesday opened bids for the Pleasant Unity project, including an apparent low figure of $201,127 submitted by McKeesport contractor Glenn Johnston Inc.
Leaks have been cropping up in a 1,250-foot section of force main along Route 130, between Division Lane and Chambers Avenue.
“The first repair was probably three years ago,” said Doug Pike, the authority operations manager. “More recently, there have been a couple a month apart.”
Last month, the authority authorized Pike to move forward with the replacement project. Once the bids are reviewed by the authority’s consultant — Lennon, Smith, Souleret Engineering — “the notice to proceed will go out very soon” to the selected contractor, Pike said. “I think we got some good, competitive pricing. That project is going to get done as quickly as possible.”
The authority will pay for the new line from its reserve fund.
Lennon, Smith, Souleret’s Don Hixson said design and permitting is about 80 percent complete for a 4,000-foot sewer line that will extend along Buffenmeyer Road to Donohoe Road — where it will serve two businesses, Product Evaluation Systems and JMS Fabricated Systems.
Along the way, the line extension also will bring service to about 10 homes, Pike said.
“There’s some potential there for future extensions,” said Hixson. “This sets thing up nicely for down the road, if a developer wants to come in and do an extension.”
Pike is planning to meet next week with a half dozen property owners to seek needed rights-of-way for the project.
A $424,996 grant from Pennsylvania’s Commonwealth Financing Authority is expected to cover most of the cost, with the authority and the two businesses providing local contributions.
Getting public sewage service is an important factor in Product Evaluation Systems’ plan to add a second, 12,000-square-foot, building and about 10 new employees at its plant.
Jeff Himler is a TribLive reporter covering Greater Latrobe, Ligonier Valley, Mt. Pleasant Area and Derry Area school districts and their communities. He also reports on transportation issues. A journalist for more than three decades, he enjoys delving into local history. He can be reached at jhimler@triblive.com.
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