Overview

The Pennsylvania Sewage Facilities Act (Act 537), along with other prescribed responsibilities, requires municipalities to submit plans for community sewage systems in their jurisdiction. This plan was developed to protect the public health, safety, and welfare of the Stockertown Borough citizens by providing adequate disposal of sewage waste.

In June 1995, collection and conveyance facilities and a lagoon Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) were placed in operation to provide public sewer service to portions of the Borough.

Since bringing the WWTP online, it had experienced difficulty in achieving compliance with the current permitted Ammonia (as Nitogen) discharge limits during winter months. This noncompliance had resulted in the PA Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP) issuing multiple Notice of Violation’s (NOV’s) to the Borough.

Entech assisted Stockertown Borough with completing the Act 537 Plan Update as well as and examining and selecting the appropriate alternative to address and resolve the treatment NOV’s.

The Township had begun to prepare and Act 537 Plan, but it had never been approved. PADEP was in agreement with the proposed planning and encouraged the Township to move forward with the Act 537 Plan Update to address both short-term and long-term wastewater management needs for the Borough.

Entech evaluated several alternatives to provide adequate treatment to the existing customers including interconnections to Forks Township and Nazareth Borough, as well as, WWTP upgrades and replacement. The result of the evaluation determined that the most cost effective and long term solution for the Borough was to abandon the existing WWTP and discharge point and construct an interconnection to the Forks Township interceptor. The receiving sewers, including the Forks Township Uhlers Crossing and the Bushkill Interceptor’s most critical line section, have adequate capacity for the proposed flows and treatment will be provided by the Easton Area Joint Sewer Authority (EAJSA).

The selected alternative had an estimated cost of $2.7 million and is anticipated to be funded by a PENNVEST loan/grant. The funding analysis showed a resulting user rate of $77/month/EDU to provide sewage service.

Stockertown Borough continues to own and operate their collection and conveyance system up to the point of interconnection with Forks Township. Inter-municipal agreements were made with Forks Township for conveyance and with EAJSA for treatment.