WEST PITTSTON — The latest phase of the borough’s Sewer Separation Project has been completed, and officials gathered on Friday to review the work along Wyoming Ave.
State Rep. Jim Haddock, who was instrumental in securing state funding for the project, along with council members and a representative from project engineering firm, Reilly Associates, gathered at Gerrity’s Supermarket parking to begin the inspection.
The project separated the sewer system running along Wyoming Avenue from Erie Street to Philadelphia Avenue and addressed stormwater issues on Mercer, Pacific, Baltimore, Atlantic, Delaware, and Tunkhannock avenues, as well as Second, Third, Fourth, and Warren streets.
The borough awarded a $3.4 million contract to James T. O’Hara Inc. of Covington Township to complete the work.
“We appreciated the cooperation of the residents because they were inconvenienced for much of the last year,” Jim Brozena, project manager, said. “I’d also like to commend the contractor for getting the project done on time. They would leave notes on doors and street signs to keep residents in the construction zone to give them a heads up.”
Since 2009, the borough has separated approximately 66% of the sewer system and will continue to do so.
The project involved the replacement and upgrading of storm and sanitary sewers, which reduces combined sewer overflows, addresses deteriorated pipes, achieves water quality improvements, and reduces future repair and maintenance costs to the borough.
Funding for the project was provided by a $2 million American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) grant from Luzerne County and a $2.6 million grant from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania H20 PA Water Supply, Sanitary Sewer, and Stormwater Projects Program.