$2.25 million allocated for Cranberry, Chicora water projects
Two municipalities in Butler County will receive a combined $2.25 million toward their water projects.
Cranberry Township will receive $1 million for the replacement of the water line along Route 19 while Chicora Borough will receive $1.25 million to upgrade and repair an outdated drinking water plant.
The funds come through Community Project Funding, a process that allows lawmakers to submit up to 15 funding requests during appropriations. According to a release from U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly, R-16th, on Friday, Jan. 9, seven of his projects have passed thus far, with the rest still under consideration.
“These projects represent real, tangible investments in essential water and sewer infrastructure that will significantly benefit communities across the 16th Congressional District,” Kelly said.
Cranberry Township plans to use the funding to replace 2,100 feet of 12-inch water line and 2,300 feet of 8-inch water line. The water system as a whole provides an average of 2.5 million gallons of water daily to 11,000 customers.
Township manager Dan Santoro said township officials are grateful to Kelly for his continued championing of community funding for them. He said the line has been a problem area for some time and needs replacing.
“This line is one of the main lines that feeds into the northern section of the township. It’s over 50 years old and when it goes down, it impacts residents and businesses,” he said.
Santoro said the township will work to break ground as soon as possible, though he’s unsure when the funds will arrive.
“We’re already designing the line, so hopefully we’ll be able to start later this year,” Santoro said.
The funding for Chicora will be used to replace certain parts of the plant, such as the filtration and storage tanks, as they are past the expected service life. The plant provides potable water to roughly 1,100 people, including Karns City Area Elementary School.
The borough also recently received $250,000 to make improvements on its water filtration plant from the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Financing Authority’s Local Share Account grant.
