Freeport to receive $1.5 million from federal budget for new sewage plant

With the congressional passage of the federal 2023 spending bill, Freeport secured $1.5 million to help pay for its new sewage treatment plant estimated to cost $16.9 million.

The Freeport project was included in the $1.7 trillion Consolidated Appropriations Act for 2023. Both the U.S. Senate and House passed the bill, which awaits President Joe Biden’s signature.

While an $11 million PennVEST grant will pay for most of Freeport’s new sewage plant, borough council agreed to float a $5.9 million bond to cover the remaining cost for the project.

“We are thankful to Senator (Bob) Casey’s office for the $1.5 million for the project,” council President Clint Warnick said. “It gives us a bit of latitude if construction bids are higher than the engineer’s estimates.”

In July, Casey announced the inclusion of $1.5 million for the Freeport sewage plant project as well as funding for 17 other community projects in Southwestern Pennsylvania in the Senate’s 2023 spending bill.

Former Freeport Mayor James Swartz Jr. had been working with Casey’s office to secure financial help for the massive and expensive sewage project. When Swartz stepped down as mayor in June, Mayor Zack Gent resumed Swartz’s work with Casey’s office, advocating for the borough.

“While I cannot take credit for starting the grant process, I am thankful for Jim’s cooperation and transparency that allowed for me to help see it through to completion,” Gent said.

He thanked Casey, other federal, state and county officials as well as council for helping with the project.

The importance of money from the federal spending bill goes beyond the dollar amount, Gent said, because it is part of a larger effort to keep down the costs for sewage services “during a time where costs are rising and residents’ spendable income is tighter than ever.”

Borough officials don’t yet know how much borough residents will pay for the new plant through their sewage bills, Warnick said.

“Until we find out the true construction costs,” he said, “it’s too early to give true estimates on what the sewage rate increase will be.”

In addition to the federal money, the borough is trying to secure other grants. Although there are no plans to change course on the $5.9 million bond, Warnick said, additional grants can be used for the project to defray the costs passed onto residents.

Council plans to hold a public meeting on the project and its impact on ratepayers sometime in the first quarter of 2023.