Pennsylvania American Water hosted a tour Friday of the Scranton Wastewater Treatment Plant for local officials, environmental partners, community stakeholders and members of the media. The plant at 2500 Sanitary Drive in Scranton is undergoing upgrades totaling over $40 million to improve treatment processes, including construction of a new operations center completed in May. PAW in late 2016 bought the sewer system serving Scranton and Dunmore that formerly was operated by the Scranton Sewer Authority. The water company inherited an agreement called a consent decree between the SSA and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency mandating a reduction in the sewer system’s “combined sewer overflow” pollution of the Lackawanna River that occurs in times of heavy rain. That work, estimated to cost $140 million through 2037, has been occurring under a long-term control plan that the SSA started before PAW ownership. The SSA completed about 10 long-term control plan upgrades before the sale, and PAW has since completed another 31, for a total completed so far of 41. These projects prevent 118 million gallons of overflow annually. The LTCP has another 31 projects to go, for a total of 72. During the tour, employees explained the treatment process at the plant that discharges about 10 million gallons of treated effluent into the river daily. State Rep. Kyle Donahue, D-113, Scranton and state Rep. Bridget Kosierowski, D-114, Waverly Twp., got their first looks at the plant and its operations on the tour. Donahue said the treatment system is an interesting process. Kosierowski said, “I’m wildly impressed. The investment they’ve made in this campus is remarkable, and sadly very much necessary, but clearly for the community it’s a huge asset that we have here.” The company also will host a public tour of the plant on Oct. 25 that is all booked up, PAW spokeswoman Susan Turcmanovich said.
Pennsylvania American Water hosted a tour Friday, Oct. 17, 2025 of the Scranton Wastewater Treatment Plant for local officials, environmental partners, community stakeholders and members of the media. Photo shows the company’s new operations center building completed in May at 2500 Sanitary Drive in Scranton. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO)
Pennsylvania American Water hosted a tour Friday, Oct. 17, 2025 of the Scranton Wastewater Treatment Plant for local officials, environmental partners, community stakeholders and members of the media. Photo shows the company’s new operations center building completed in May at 2500 Sanitary Drive in Scranton. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO)
State Rep. Kyle Donahue, D-113, Scranton, at left, and state Rep. Bridget Kosierowski, D-114, Waverly Twp., got their first looks Pennsylvania American Water’s Scranton Wastewater Treatment Plant during a tour on Friday, Oct. 17, 2025. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO)
Matthew White, at left, operations manager of Pennsylvania American Water’s Scranton Wastewater Treatment Plant, speaks during a tour of the facility on Friday, Oct. 17, 2025. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO)
State Rep. Kyle Donahue, D-113, Scranton, at left, and state Rep. Bridget Kosierowski, D-114, Waverly Twp., listen as Matthew White, operations manager of Pennsylvania American Water’s Scranton Wastewater Treatment Plant, speaks during a tour of the facility on Friday, Oct. 17, 2025. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO)
Steve Ward of Scranton Tomorrow on a tour of Pennsylvania American Water’s Scranton Wastewater Treatment Plant on Friday, Oct. 17, 2025. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO)
Matthew White, operations manager of Pennsylvania American Water’s Scranton Wastewater Treatment Plant, speaks during a tour of the facility on Friday, Oct. 17, 2025. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO)
Matthew White, in background at right, the operations manager of Pennsylvania American Water’s Scranton Wastewater Treatment Plant, speaks during a tour of the facility on Friday, Oct. 17, 2025. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO)
Pennsylvania American Water hosted a tour Friday, Oct. 17, 2025 of the Scranton Wastewater Treatment Plant for local officials, environmental partners, community stakeholders and members of the media. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO)
Pennsylvania American Water hosted a tour Friday, Oct. 17, 2025 of the Scranton Wastewater Treatment Plant for local officials, environmental partners, community stakeholders and members of the media. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO)
Pennsylvania American Water hosted a tour Friday, Oct. 17, 2025 of the Scranton Wastewater Treatment Plant for local officials, environmental partners, community stakeholders and members of the media. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO)
Matthew White, operations manager of Pennsylvania American Water’s Scranton Wastewater Treatment Plant, displays a container of treated effluent during a tour of the facility on Friday, Oct. 17, 2025. The treated effluent is the result of the wastewater treatment process that purifies wastewater for release into the Lackawanna River. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO)
Matthew White, operations manager of Pennsylvania American Water’s Scranton Wastewater Treatment Plant, displays a container of treated effluent during a tour of the facility on Friday, Oct. 17, 2025. The treated effluent is the result of the wastewater treatment process that purifies wastewater for release into the Lackawanna River. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO)
Pennsylvania American Water hosted a tour Friday, Oct. 17, 2025 of the Scranton Wastewater Treatment Plant for local officials, environmental partners, community stakeholders and members of the media. Photo shows the outflow where about 10 millions gallons a day of treated effluent is released into the Lackawanna River. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO)
Information on display during a Pennsylvania American Water tour Friday, Oct. 17, 2025 of the Scranton Wastewater Treatment Plant held for local officials, environmental partners, community stakeholders and members of the media. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO)
Information on display during a Pennsylvania American Water tour Friday, Oct. 17, 2025 of the Scranton Wastewater Treatment Plant held for local officials, environmental partners, community stakeholders and members of the media. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO)
Information on display during a Pennsylvania American Water tour Friday, Oct. 17, 2025 of the Scranton Wastewater Treatment Plant held for local officials, environmental partners, community stakeholders and members of the media. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO)
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Pennsylvania American Water hosted a tour Friday, Oct. 17, 2025 of the Scranton Wastewater Treatment Plant for local officials, environmental partners, community stakeholders and members of the media. Photo shows the company’s new operations center building completed in May at 2500 Sanitary Drive in Scranton. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO)
Originally Published: October 17, 2025 at 5:29 PM EDT