FTMSA seeks Murrysville's backing for $12 million bond issue

Newly-appointed Franklin Township Municipal Sanitary Authority board member Bob Mitall hopes $10 million will be enough to address the issues in the authority’s sewage system.

But he isn’t sure.

“Those of us with some experience doubt that $10 million will be enough to solve these problems,” Mitall told Murrysville council members this week.

Mitall and FTMSA are asking council to back a $12 million bond issue which will be used to tackle ongoing problems with the system. Those include overflows, inflow and infiltration of storm water into sewage pipes.

“We need to map the system. There is apparently no reliable mapping of the entire system, which is 300 miles of sewer and 5,000 to 6,000 manholes,” Mitall said. “After that will come flow monitoring, and what we’ll do with that is create a hydraulic model of the system.”

FTMSA’s recent rate increase will cover the cost of the bond issue, Mitall said.

While FTMSA is asking Murrysville to back the bond issue, the $12 million figure represents a not-to-exceed cost. Mitall said the additional $2 million builds in some flexibility when the bond is actually underwritten.

Councilman Dayne Dice on Wednesday said FTMSA officials are proposing to install about 100 flow meters throughout the system.

“They said that’s a very high number, which goes to show you the magnitude of this project,” Dice said.

Once all of necessary data has been gathered, next comes the biggest challenge, according to Mitall.

“The hard part will be figuring out what the solution to some of these problems is,” he said. “We know there are issues in Heather Highlands, the Sloan pump station, Tarr Hollow Road and the main pump station.”

Mitall said FTMSAca officials also anticipate a consent decree from the state’s Department of Environmental Protection that could affect future plans to address systemwide issues.

With the municipality’s backing, the bonds would attain an AA+ rating. Councilwoman Jamie Lee-Korns wanted to know what the rating would be if they were not guaranteed by the municipality. FTMSA’s bond counsel, Tom Lynch, said he would bring that information to council’s Feb. 20 meeting.

Council will advertise an ordinance guaranteeing the bond issue. It will be up for a vote at the Feb. 20 meeting, set for 7 p.m. in the Murrysville municipal building, 4100 Sardis Road.

Patrick Varine is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Patrick at 724-850-2862, pvarine@tribweb.com or via Twitter @MurrysvilleStar.