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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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State
Rep. Jesse White |
Sen. J. Barry Stout D-Allegheny/Beaver/Greene/ Washington/Westmoreland
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More than $27 million in state funding approved for sewer and water upgrades
HARRISBURG, April 21 – State Rep. Jesse White, D- Allegheny/Beaver/Washington, and state Sen. J. Barry Stout, D-Allegheny/Beaver/Greene/Washington/Westmoreland, announced two state loans and a state grant today that will improve the economy of Washington County and the health of its residents.
The two lawmakers said that a $3.7 million loan and an $11.7 million grant have been awarded to Independence-Cross Creek Joint Sewer Authority for construction of a 236,000-gallon-per-day sewage treatment plant and 90,000 linear feet of gravity sewers. The project will fix malfunctioning septic systems in the village of Avella and areas surrounding Independence and Cross Creek townships.
A second loan of almost $12.3 million has been awarded to the Pennsylvania American Water Co. for construction of approximately 150,000 linear feet of waterline and a 350,000-gallon water storage tank. This project will help eliminate total coliform, a bacterium found in 54 percent of the private wells in Mt. Pleasant Township.
"People deserve a safe and reliable public water system," Stout said. "These funds not only achieve this but will allow businesses to build and expand, therefore bringing critical jobs to the area."
"This again illustrates my commitment to working in Harrisburg to for improvements in the district at the lowest possible cost to taxpayers, and partnering with local municipalities, authorities and other involved parties to bring that about," White said.
The funds were approved Monday by the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority board. Pennvest is an independent state agency managed by a 13-member board of directors and funded by nearly $2 billion from state appropriations, state bond sales and federal grants. While helping hundreds of local governments take on clean water projects, Pennvest funding has also generated thousands of construction jobs and helped maintain thousands more.
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