Sewer system to be tested in Upper St. Clair
Upper St. Clair commissioners received an update on the status of the township’s sanitary sewer consent order flow reduction program during their Feb. 27 meeting.
Public works Director George Kostelich Jr. provided information on the municipality’s flow isolation and flow monitoring status after the Environmental Protection Agency in 2014 identified the need for Municipal Source Flow Reduction as a component of the regional wet weather plan.
As part of the consent order, each community must have a demonstration project that includes a source reduction study.
The flow isolation process identifies sources of groundwater infiltration into the municipal sanitary sewer system and evaluates the data and cost effectiveness of removing the located GWI from the Township sanitary sewer system.
Because GWI is best measured when sewage usage flows from residences and businesses are minimal, flow isolation data will be collected by two-person crews from Gateway Engineers between 12 a.m. and 5 a.m.
Gateway Engineers and the township’s public works department have identified five sewersheds within the township for the initial project. Affected residents will be notified prior to any property access.
Following the completion of the of the flow isolation process, Gateway Engineers will calculate the concentration of GWI in each area, the cost estimate and means of remediation, and the estimated amount of GWI that could be removed.
Costs for the work are estimated at $85,000 for flow isolation testing, $25,000 for processing field data, developing reports, analysis against 2008 flow monitoring data, and identifying areas of feasible and effective groundwater removal, and $15,000 for flow monitoring. The township’s 2017 budget earmarked $200,000 for flow isolation.
In other business, a public hearing was scheduled for March 6 for non-residential conditional use approval at 145 McMurray Road at the site of Dunkin’ Donuts. The applicant, Michael Orie of USC RE, LLC, is requesting a modification to allow two restaurants to be within 400 feet of one another. If conditional use is approved, tentative plans are for an ice cream business and a take-out pizza business in the two vacant retail spaces in the building.
The board also approved establishment of a public hearing on April 3 for unified conditional use preliminary and final land development approval for 1353, 1355, 1357, and 1361 McLaughlin Run Road. The public hearing is for consolidation of the properties, building and landscaping improvements, and storm water improvements.