An investment worth millions of dollars will help the environment in North East and serve to keep Lake Erie clean.

This was all part of Governor Tom Wolf’s investment in water infrastructure projects in 14 counties. This is a way to show commitment to having clean water in our state. 

This is some long-range planning.

The Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority, PENNVEST, is lending $12 million to North East to construct a pump station.

Patrick Gehrlein, Borough Manager, says, “what that provides us with is low-interest money so that our community isn’t burdened with long term debt at high interest rates.”

North East is looking to do some upgrades at the Waste Water Treatment Plant to accommodate industries and a growing residential community.

Construction will begin on a discharge pipe going into Lake Erie.

Borough officials say the project should take no more than 24 months to complete.

Increasingly over the course of the past 20 years, regulations that allow for wastewater to be released into waterways like Lake Erie have changed and North East fears will only continue over time.

Environmental Consultant Richard Dodds says, “Most of the flow is from the sewage treatment plant and you have fish and salmon coming up into the stream.”

This is a preventative measure. 

Currently, two sites in North East treat the wastewater. This project will help treat and discharge that water safely and effectively into Lake Erie.

The project will begin in Spring 2020 and it aims to give peace of mind to the North East community.