ALLENTOWN, Pa. — Plans to update sewage infrastructure in two Lehigh Valley municipalities passed a staff review by the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission’s Environment Committee on Tuesday.
Sewage facilities in Upper Saucon and Palmer townships had Act 537 plan updates for work furthered by committee members during the 30-minute meeting.
Upper Saucon’s plans include a proposed extension of the North Branch Interceptor from Chestnut Hill Road to the end of St. Joseph’s Road.
The extension would provide public sewage service to areas adjacent to Ackerman’s Lane, Sunset Drive, Limeport Pike and St. Joseph’s Road.
Under the plan, a handful of developments would get public sewage service, including Mount Trexler Manor, St. Michael Archangel School, St. Joseph Catholic Church and Mountain Greene Subdivision.
Work would include construction of a pumping station on Limeport Pike, west of the Sunset Park subdivision, as well as the construction of a 6-inch diameter force main, a pressurized pipeline, from the pump station to Chestnut Hill and Wagner roads.
“I'm intimately familiar with this area,” committee Chairman Steve Repasch said. “I previously served as water system operator for Mount Trexler Manor and St. Michael the Archangel School, both of which will be benefited by this.
“This project is much needed — believe me.”
Palmer Township plan
The focus of Palmer Township’s plans is updating the sewer service area/drainage basin to the Sheridan Drive Pump Station by eliminating it.
Originally constructed in 1972, the pump station and force main have reached the end of their useful life, and both are in need of rehabilitation/replacement.
The plans call for construction of a sewer extension to the Bethlehem Township collection and conveyance system, owned and operated by the Bethlehem Township Municipal Authority.
When completed, wastewater flows will be redirected from the Sheridan Drive Pump Station to the BTMA system.
Work would include constructing 200 linear feet of new 8-inch main within Embur Terrace, reconstructing about 300 linear feet of 8-inch sewer main in Sheridan Drive and adding two new manholes.
Both plans will be further reviewed by a full meeting of the LVPC on Thursday.
Act 537 plans, required by all municipalities, “provide for the resolution of existing sewage disposal problems, provide for the future sewage disposal needs of new land development, and provide for future sewage disposal needs of the municipality,” according to the state Department of Environmental Protection’s website.
Approval of Act 537 plans needs to happen at the local level before it’s reviewed and approved by the DEP.
Hazardous waste
Also during the meeting, the environmental committee moved forward a hazardous waste permit renewal application for Bethlehem Apparatus Company
The renewals are through Act 97, which regulates the planning and management of hazardous waste.
The company’s Hellertown facility is primarily used for a mercury recovery and reclamation operation, a recycling facility for mercury-bearing materials and as a manufacturer of mercury cleaning and glass blowing apparatus.
The facility is near Interstate 78 and the Saucon Creek, a tributary of the Lehigh River.
“I just wanted to make a note that I did look up the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act permit applications for this specific facility,” Corinne Ruggiero, an environmental planner with the LVPC, said.
“And it was mentioned that historically, there are no indications of spills or releases that have negatively impacted any soil, groundwater, surface water [or] air that would lead to adverse impacts for the environment or human health from this facility.”
RCRA is a federal law, dealing with the disposal of solid and hazardous waste.
