Sewer plant plans sent to state

Columbia Borough Council approved submitting to the state its Act 537 Plan, dealing with improvement to its sewer plant.
The approval came following a hearing on the plan as part of a special meeting of borough council on Tuesday night.
The cost of the new park is expected to be at least $16 million and under a worst case scenario presented sewer bills in Columbia could double as the result of the project.
The changes to the sewer plant are not on a wish list of the borough, but a mandate from the state and to help with the clean-up of the Chesapeake Bay, where water from the Susquehanna River empties into.
The last major upgrade to the sewer plant on South Front Street was in 1972, said Patrick Brown, an engineer for Buchart-Horn.
 Columbia has until Aug. 30, 2013 to become compliant with state DEP regulations.
During a power point presentation, Brown outlined the steps, needs and alternatives for Columbia.
He also reviewed the options that were suggested to the Columbia Municipal Authority. Two options considered were selling the plant to the Lancaster Area Sewer Authority or do nothing at the plant.
"Selling to LASA was not an option because Columbia would lose control of the operations and decision making and wouldn't be cost effective," Brown said.
The system chosen for Columbia is something called Aero Med and would meet all the state requirements.
Brown also provided cost estimates of up to $16 million, the possibility of floating a bond for 30 years at a four percent interest rate and getting a state H2O grant covering $10 million.
The worst case scenario, Brown said would mean a doubling of a customers' yearly rate from an estimated $235 to $563.
"The estimates are difficult to predict because we haven 't taken into consideration the grant process," Brown said.
The design of the new sewer plant will begin in August, with contracts, if all the approvals are gained, being awarded next July.
During the hearing on the Act 537 plan, officials discussed the impact of the construction on not only Columbia residents, but the 200 residents of West Hempfield Township, who are hooked into the system and what might happen if WHT would join LASA.
"I can;t imagine they (West Hempfield) would consider pumping to LASA," said Columbia Borough Manager Norm Meiskey.
"We have to be successful in the great application," noted Mayor Leo Lutz.
Questions surrounded the proposed sewer increase. Meiskey said according to projected rates would rise 68 percent on the average gallon of usage. Officials also said because of the economy and many firms looking for work, actual costs for the project might come in less than the estimates.