Oct 5, 2016 2 min read

CARMICHAELS – The Municipal Authority of the Borough of Carmichaels is asking for a $45,000 grant from Cumberland Township to repair and extend a decaying private waterline.

Wally Jackson, the authority’s secretary and treasurer, spoke to the township commissioners during their Monday afternoon meeting and asked for the money to build out the a line that is too small for service and beginning to fail.

The project would replace a 1 1/2-pipeline and install a 6-inch line to serve five homes on Thomas Road at Browns Ferry. Jackson said the private pipeline was installed 30 years ago by the people who live in that neighborhood and is no longer adequate.

Jackson said the municipal authority is offering to pay for the cost of labor, but needs the township’s help to finance the $45,000 in materials and hoped it could spare some money from its voluminous Act 13 funds.

The customers would have to pay a minor tap-in fee to be connected, Jackson said.

Township Supervisor Bill Groves said officials have not made a decision yet on whether they should allow Act 13 funds to be used for the project.

“We haven’t had much chance to discuss it,” Groves said. “It’s too early to tell.”

The pipeline would be in close proximity to where a natural gas-fired power plant is being proposed. Hill Top Energy Center LLC has proposed constructing the 536-megawatt power plant on the 41.7-acre site property of the former Nemacolin Mine in Cumberland Township.

That plant would need water, so Jackson suggested possibly working with Hill Top on a new pipeline to that area.

“Maybe we can meet with them since they’re going to have to put water up to that place anyway,” Jackson said.

The municipal authority is also asking the township for $10,000 to make improvements to its water treatment plant.

Meanwhile, Groves said the supervisors have changed the continuation date of their meeting to Oct. 10 at 3 p.m. The township originally planned to continue the meeting to Oct. 17.