The Open House, which will be staffed by Cranberry’s design consultant and Township personnel most closely involved with the project, will be held between 1:00 PM and 8:00 PM in Council Chambers at the Municipal Center. Eight information kiosks will be available for residents and business owners to peruse at their convenience.
Topics covered by the displays will include History of the Brush Creek treatment plant, Township efforts to stop unwanted water inflow & infiltration, Why the plant needs to upgrade, How the plant manages odor control, Regulatory constraints on plant’s future operations, the Planning process being used to lay out the upgrade design, Treatment process alternatives under consideration, Financing the upgrade project, and next steps in the process. According to preliminary estimates, the project could cost as much as $65 million.
Several factors are driving the plant’s expansion. One is the growth of Cranberry’s residential population – projected to reach 50,000 by 2030 – requiring additional capacity. The other is a result of recently issued Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection requirements affecting the plant’s flow rates and associated treatment methods during peak weather events.
In addition, tighter limits on the release of various effluents – limits which are expected to grow even more restrictive, must also be satisfied for the plant to secure its operating permits. Recommended options for the project, which could be built in either one or two phases, will be presented to the Board on February 26 with final selection to be made on March 6. A 2017 Completion is targeted for the project.