Jul 13, 2015 4 min read

WAYNESBURG – A partnership announced Monday between Vantage Energy and Southwestern Pennsylvania Water Authority will result in an estimated $30 million in water infrastructure improvements in Greene County.

The improvements will include the expansion of the authority’s water treatment plant, the extension of a 24-inch line through Waynesburg and the extension of a 16-inch water line eight miles from West Waynesburg to Nineveh.

“This important partnership is truly a win-win for the entire region,” said Jack Golding, water authority manager. “Working together, these efforts will help improve water access and delivery services to underserved communities, while also reducing truck traffic.”

The benefits will extend well beyond the authority’s plant and distribution system expansion, Golding said. Customers will see greater capacity and the availability of public water, a long-term stable water rate and water access in previously unavailable areas, he said.

State and township roads also should see a reduction in the number of heavy trucks hauling water to natural gas well sites, Golding said.

“Our team looks forward to growing this partnership, which reflects Vantage’s commitment to operating in the most environmentally responsible and safe way, while ensuring the communities in which we are privileged to work benefit over the long-term,” Roger Biemans, Vantage chief executive officer, said in a statement.

Southwestern recently completed the first phase of its treatment plant expansion that increased the plant’s capacity from 7 to 9.2 million gallons of water a day. The second phase that will be funded through the partnership will boost capacity to 16.1 million gallons a day.

The partnership also will cover the extension of 24-inch water transmission line from about Interstate 79 in Franklin Township to the Route 21-18 intersection in West Waynesburg and the construction of a 16-inch water line along Route 18 to Nineveh.

In addition, work will include the replacement of water lines with larger 16-inch lines along both Route 188 and Route 221 to complement pump station-related upgrades.

The estimated cost of the improvements total $30 million, Golding said. Vantage and its midstream affiliate, Vista Gathering, will cover the costs, either making the improvements themselves or having the work done through the authority, he said.

The repayment of Vantage Energy’s investment will be made in part, from the assignment of money from an existing surcharge the authority charges on the sales of water to oil and gas customers.

Vantage Energy needs water for its operations, Golding said. The authority will be able to provide the company with more water in the areas where it needs water while at the same time benefiting the authority and its customers.

Morris Township Supervisor Glenn Adamson said the supervisors have been pushing to have a public water line extended to Nineveh for 10 to 15 years.

“We need the water here, because of coal mining in the area,” Adamson said. “If we can get (public water) out here, we also maybe can alleviate some of the heavy hauling (from tanker trucks) that are tearing up our roads.”

Adamson said the township would commit Act 13 money to the project and work with other companies, including Consol Energy, to attempt to fund additional water line extensions. Consol recently constructed a sewage treatment system for Nineveh.

Once water is also available, Adamson said, ” There are going to be people building here.”

Golding said work that will be done through the partnership will start immediately on some projects.

Engineering design and permitting has been started on the phase two plant expansion and permitting is completed for the Route 188 and 221 line replacements, he said. Engineering has just started on the extension of the 24-inch line through Waynesburg and will be beginning on the 16-inch line extension on Route 18 to Nineveh.