State Agency OKs Schwenksville Water Main Loan
A photo of a broken and leaking Schwenksville water line (at top) helped demonstrate the need for PennVest financing to replace piping along Main Street and Church Road
SCHWENKSVILLE PA – More than 2,700 feet of borough piping that supplies clean water to customers along Main Street and Church Road will be replaced using a $1,051,037 loan authorized by PennVest, the infrastructure agency that serves as a bank for what are deemed to be critically needed projects across the Commonwealth.
Announcement of the loan award to the Schwenksville Borough Authority came from Gov. Tom Wolf’s office. Cash sought by the authority for its replacement work was part of $74 million financing package approved by the PennVest board of directors for a total of 13 drinking water, waste water, storm water, and related proposals in 11 counties.
Existing water supply distribution mains on Main and Church are more than 70 years old, need a variety of repairs, and have “reached the end of their useful life,” according to the borough authority’s application. Repairs and breaks will become more common if the pipe is not replaced, it said, potentially resulting in higher costs, loss of service, and problems with regulatory agencies.
The authority provides public water and fire protection to all of Schwenksville Borough, Lower Frederick Township, and a portion of Perkiomen Township. It supplies about 325,000 gallons of water per day from its own five wells, and buys an additional 100,000 gallons daily from Aqua Pennsylvania. The authority provides water for approximately 1,800 connections.
The PennVest loan won support from two Schwenksville area legislators, state Sen. Bob Mensch of the 24th Senatorial District, and Rep. Marcy Toepel of the 147th Legislative District. The authority board thanked both for their assistance.
“I am pleased PennVEST has approved funding for this critical project for improvements to the authority’s drinking water infrastructure,” borough authority Chairman John B. Markley said. “The state’s support to upgrade our drinking water infrastructure is important to the well-being and safety of (its) customers and the redevelopment of the borough.”
Photo from PennVest via Facebook
