At Coplay Whitehall Sewer Authority’s July 18 meeting, the board passed a motion to continue with the proposed solar project despite cost increases from the project’s only bidder, RER Energy Group, of Reading.

CWSA granted the approvals because it had made a commitment to the purchase and would need to pay a penalty to return the materials, mainly the solar panels.

Fast-forward to the meeting Aug. 15 and Darryl Jenkins, the authority’s engineer, reported RER is still working on paperwork, primarily drawings for the new grading plan.

The original grading plan needed to be reworked because bad soils were detected. The first revision increased the price so high that the board would not proceed. RER asked for consideration to revamp the plan. The revision put the project on the edge. The engineering costs and equipment costs were what convinced the board to move forward.

After Jenkins’ report, the board was disappointed with the lack of progress made by RER.

“We hoped to get this project underway before we ran out of prime weather,” Chairman John Schreiner said.

In other business, CWSA released funds for its relining project. The authority has extensive experience with this process.

It negotiated a unit price in a consolidated project that coordinated relining manholes between CWSA and Emmaus. Regionalizing projects like this helps to save water and sewer customers money by holding down rate increases.

When Catasauqua Borough was offered the opportunity to incorporate its manhole relining projects into the existing arrangement, it declined and opted to pay a 30-percent premium.

CWSA received a thank-you letter from Jones-Quigg American Legion Post 739 for funding assistance provided for the renovation of its hall. Fire destroyed the original building in 2016. The new building was reopened in July after an extensive fundraising effort and individual efforts by local veterans and their families.