Article Photos

A modest ground-breaking ceremony is scheduled by the Williamsport Sanitary Authority on Tuesday to mark the start of construction on the first of a series of mandated projects estimated to cost at least $110 million.

The work is necessary to comply with guidelines designed to reduce the levels of nutrients in treated wastewater discharged into the river and impacts sanitary authorities and municipalities in several states with major streams emptying into the polluted Chesapeake Bay.

The WSA project is one of hundreds being done along the Susquehanna River to meet state and federal guidelines.

The sanitary authority's compliance begins with construction of a large combined sewer overflow tank at its Central Treatment Plant on Jefferson Lane.

The tank will hold stormwater and sewage during wet weather situations to safeguard against raw sewage overflows from the plant into the Susquehanna River.

An $8.6 million contract for construction of the tank and the substructure for a new headworks building at the plant was awarded Wednesday by the authority's board to Wickersham Construction and Engineering Inc. of Lancaster, the lowest of eight bidders.

The tank's construction will begin once demolition of the former McCarthy Tire and All-Phase Electric buildings is complete.

Steinbacher Enterprises was low bidder for the demolition contract with a bid of $145,330 is expected to have the site ready by the end of November.

The authority also is preparing to go out for a $30 million bond between now and the end of the year toward the $110 million project and continues to actively seek low-interest loans and grants.

It has been known for several years that sewage rates will at least triple in coming years and rates in the city already are going up and without a massive injection of federal or state funding will increase regularly as the project unfolds.

On Wednesday, the board also approved a resolution extending the life of the authority through 2059 so as to guarantee a stream of revenues until the bond issue is paid off. City Council also must approve the extension for it to become official.