In an abbreviated session Sept. 17, the Coplay-Whitehall Sewer Authority approved a bid for its Lehigh River Interceptor and meter station replacement. The winning contractor was Duley Inc. The company is new in the area.

“We have worked with the company in Norristown, and they are very good,” explained Darryl Jenkins, CWSA’s resident engineer.

The project is $759,500 and is the latest step by CWSA to reduce water infiltration into the sewer system.

Several years ago, the Environmental Protection Agency issued a mandate on all municipalities that use the Allentown wastewater treatment plant to reduce infiltration of clear water into the sewage system. Clear water, or rainwater runoff, does not need to be treated for contaminants. Reducing clear water infiltration extends the life of the treatment plant because less volume is presented for cleaning.

CWSA has taken the lead among municipalities using the Allentown treatment facility to reduce infiltration. In the entire system, the area around the Lehigh River was one of the last areas to be addressed. Part of the project will be to install a new metering facility near the river.

As Chairman John Schreiner explained in an earlier meeting, the design of the old metering system contributed to false readings during critical periods of high water. Managing the water flowing through the system is one of CWSA’s primary tasks. High water at old metering pits peaks and gives a false reading. The new metering systems allow flow monitoring from a single location and allow action to be taken from a command center, reducing overflow flooding. Increasing pump controls reduces sewer backup during heavy rainstorms.

CWSA reduced infiltration while controlling costs. Schreiner noted in his correspondence file that Salisbury Township is projecting a $12 increase in rates to comply with some of the EPA mandates.