Coplay-Whitehall Sewer Authority’s (CWSA) engineer, Darryl Jenkins, gave the board an update on problems along Front Street at the Jan. 19 meeting. According to Jenkins, the project is woefully behind schedule.

“We ran into problems with bad soil. We had instances where the soil was overflowing the sides of the trench boxes,” he said.

In deep trenching operations, a steel box is set in place at the bottom of the trench, but the sides usually stay compacted near the top of the dig because there is little pressure on the soil.

“Some of the problem might be all the wet weather we had,” Jenkins added.

Compounding the problem is a main water line running parallel to the trench. The water line belongs to Northampton Borough Municipal Authority (NBMA).

“It’s an older line,” Jenkins said. “[NBMA] recently repaired breaks in it. We didn’t want to be in a position where the unstable soils damaged the water line.”

The solution proposed to the board was reached after long discussions on the project’s problems with all the interested parties.

NBMA is going to go in and replace the water line, Jenkins said.

“It’s a good solution for them. They will use their own crews to get it done,” he added.

CWSA’s contractor is in the way if NBMA is to get the water line rebuilt. Jenkins proposed the contractor pull off the job until NBMA is finished and then resume the work.

The delay could add as much as six weeks to the project. It is anticipated NBMA will need about three or four weeks to complete its assignment. Bad weather could extend the time. There would be some delay while CWSA’s contractor reorganizes all his equipment back on site.

The existing trenching does not go all the way to the curb, and Jenkins proposed contractors pulverize some of the concrete in place to aid in stabilizing the soil.

“The worst-case scenario is that they will need to remove all the concrete to the curb rather than just the width of the trench. The length is around 400 feet,” he said.

Chairman John Schreiner was not pleased with the outcome, but alternatives are limited.

Front Street is a major arterial roadway that serves Coplay and Whitehall. Motorists have made their displeasure over the delays known.

“Coplay has offered to help wherever possible,” he said. “They might be able to move their equipment off the street and onto borough property.”

Jenkins does not expect the delay will incur any additional costs to CWSA and its rate payers.

“We need to be sure that we can keep the street open. If we get bad weather, plows will need to get through,” Schreiner said. “We have enough bad PR on this project. We need to get this completed.”

As this was the first meeting of the board for a new calendar year, new officers were appointed. The board elected Schreiner as chairman, James Carpenter as vice chairman, James Hahn as secretary, Michael Hobel as treasurer, Joseph Marx as community relations officer, Paul Geissinger as assistant secretary and Joseph Bonshak as assistant treasurer.