Coplay-Whitehall Sewer Authority General Manager David Harleman reported on the status of the manhole refurbishing project during the board’s regular meeting Oct. 20.

“We included 250 manholes in this project. They are moving along quickly, and we have about 40 left,” he said.

The project was initiated to reline brick manholes. The idea is that rain and surface water infiltrate into the sewer system through the older manholes. Relining the pits and protecting the covers will reduce clear water infiltration. CWSA, along with all municipalities using the Allentown Waste Water Treatment Plant, is under an EPA mandate to reduce clear water infiltration in the sewer system.

Clear water does not need to be treated. Adding clear water to the sewer system adds an unnecessary burden on the treatment plant and reduces the amount of rain water that naturally percolates through the soil to the aquifer.

The board voted to allocate $1,000 to the American Legion Post 739 in Hokendauqua. The building’s roof was damaged by a recent fire.

Board member Joseph Marx asked the board to approve a donation to Whitehall for recreational equipment. Board member Paul Geissinger indicated the distribution of developer recreation fees in Whitehall was somewhat unique.

“The township allocates funds between the commission and the individual parks,” he said.

Geissinger suggested that Marx, who is a member of Whitehall Township Board of Commissioners, review the request. Chairman John Schreiner agreed.

“We don’t want the money to go into the general fund. We want it to go toward something specific that they need,” he said.

Marx said he will check with the township and identify a specific need so CWSA can approve the request.

CWSA’s engineer, Darryl Jenkins, reported that the pre-construction meeting for Coplay’s South Front Street sewer improvement is complete and the contractor is ready to move forward. The project will repair sewer lines and install a temporary patch over the winter to allow the ground to settle. In the spring, the road will be paved and tied into recently renovated North Front Street.

Harleman asked the board for authorization to allow Jenkins to attend Lehigh County Authority (LCA) meetings.

“LCA is proposing rules and guidelines to create uniformity among all the municipalities using the Allentown Waste Water Treatment Plant. Some of these are getting into a lot of technical detail. I think it would be best if we had Darryl attend the meetings and lend his expertise to the discussions,” he said.

Harleman estimated the meeting would take about six or seven hours a year. The board approved the request.