Bell Acres to Borrow $2 Million for Sewage Project Upgrades

The is preparing to seek a $2 million bond issue as it works to become  with a consent agreement to upgrade the borough’s sewage system.

“We are moving towards getting the bond issue,” said Councilman David Renfrew, who is also the borough’s  chairman.

Renfrew told council Monday night that he anticipates, possibly by the end of September, the authority will be ready to float the $2 million bond to help cover the first phase of the sewage upgrades.

The authority is working with  Bank for the 30-year loan that will help fund development of the project in the first phase. About $4 million is needed for the entire project.

"Rather than spend ourselves into great debt then go for the bond issue for all of it, we're going to go for part of it," Renfrew said.

 is under a consent order to address its four aging sewage treatment plants. As part of the agreement, four sewage plants will be replaced with pump stations. Sewage would then be centralized and sent to .

The multi-million dollar project will involve taking the four plants off and running a line from  to Camp Meeting Road on down to Quaker Heights in . From there, the connection in Leet would carry the sewage to Leetsdale’s plant.

Renfrew said the first-phase bond issue will cover an operating loan repayment, and leave enough money to complete the engineering, bidding and other costs to get the project started.  

Once the first phase is complete, he said officials will know exactly what’s needed for the second phase and will go for the other necessary funds, estimated to be another $2 million. 

Renfrew said having working capital in the first phase will allow the authority to have a more concrete idea of what's needed for additional funding in two years.

Like Sewickley Patch on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. Don't forget to sign up for our daily email newsletter.