Indiana Borough has completed an Act 537 Wastewater Facilities Plan - Special Study which evaluates alternatives and costs for replacing the sanitary sewer system tributary to the Marsh Run Interceptor. The Marsh Run Interceptor Sanitary Service Area encompasses the Eastern Portion of the Borough and surcharges and floods during high rain events. This is caused by Infiltration and Inflow and is typically a result of broken and/or separated sanitary sewer pipes or direct storm flows connected to a sanitary sewer pipe.
The Borough is under a Corrective Action Plan (CAP), issued by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP) to make improvements to this area in order to eliminate surcharges and prevent flooding of the interceptor and surrounding areas. Proposed is a 20 year, 6 Project, $58,000,000 plan to systematically replace the interceptor and sanitary sewer pipes within the service area and conduct periodic metering of flows to confirm success. If at anytime after portions of the work is complete and metering shows that the work performed has been successful in reducing surcharges, work will cease and no further funds will be expended.
Design work is anticipated to begin in January 2024 with all work (if needed) being completed in January of 2044.
The Indiana Borough Council intends to seek funding assistance for the proposed work through the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority (PENNVEST) which has both loan and grant funding available. If all work is completed with just loan funding the projected average monthly sewer user rate for customers, per EDU, will be increased by $3.50 per month per year for 20 years. This results in a total rate increase of approximately $65 per EDU in 2044. An EDU is an equivalent dwelling unit and is considered to be representative of an average residential customer. The actual monthly user fee will depend upon the interest rate and any grant funds the Borough may be offered at the time financing is secured.
Indiana Borough residents are invited to review and comment on the proposed Act 537 Special Study during a 30-day comment period that will begin with the publication and appearance of this notice. The Study will be available for public review Monday thru Friday between the hours of 8:30 AM to 3:30 PM at the Indiana Borough Building located at 80 N. 8th Street, Indiana, PA 15701.
Comments on the proposed Study must be submitted in written form, must be received within the 30-day comment period and must include the name and address of the person submitting the comment. Those submitting comments will receive a written response to their comment and all comments will be included in the Study for submission to the PA DEP. Comments are to be addressed to: Indiana Borough Council, 80 N. 8th Street, Indiana, PA 15701.
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