Bucks County Water & Sewer Launches $155M Campaign To Upgrade System

WARRINGTON, PA — The Bucks County Water & Sewer Authority (BCWSA) has launched a capital improvement campaign that will invest $155 million for significant upgrades and repairs across its aging sewer system.

The initial investment is part of an ongoing infrastructure improvement initiative that BCWSA will continue to fund over the next several years.

The authority recently sold bonds to fund the first phase of the campaign, which includes $60 million for major upgrades to the Neshaminy Interceptor, a large diameter pipe that carries wastewater from Lower Bucks County to a treatment plant in Philadelphia. The project will bypass and replace 12 miles of aging pipe infrastructure to mitigate inflow and infiltration for both economic and environmental improvements.

The project impacts Bensalem, Falls, Bristol Township, Newtown Township, Newtown Borough, Northampton, Middletown, Langhorne Borough, Penndel Borough, Hulmeville Borough and Langhorne Manor Borough.

“The long-term reliability and vitality of BCWSA services is entirely dependent on the Authority’s ability to repair, replace and expand the systems’ infrastructure,” said Benjamin Jones, BCWSA’s CEO. “This is something the authority has done for the last 60 years and plans to continue for at least the next 60 years.”

Other projects that will be funded under the first phase include:

• $27,500,000 for Telescopic Inspection of Sewer Mains. The authority entered into a consent decree with the U.S. Department of Justice to undertake camera inspection of approximately 800 miles of sewer mains over the next seven years. Once the areas of concern are identified, the authority is required to undertake the necessary repairs.

• $20,000,000 for Green Street Upgrade. The Doylestown Township sewer system is in the process of being expanded and upgraded. Phases I and II are currently being constructed and the latest bonds will support the construction of Phases III and IV. The expansion of the wastewater treatment plant is to handle future capacity from the region necessitated by the current and planned developments, as well as, failing on lot septic system for the next 10 to 15 years.

• $15,000,000 for the Lambertville Upgrade. Expanding the Lambertville Wastewater treatment plant. The Lambertville Wastewater treatment plant is physically located in New Jersey, and sewage is pumped across the Delaware River via a line over the Lambertville Bridge. The current treatment being undertaken is nearing 80 percent of its treatment capacity and New Jersey State law requires any wastewater treatment plant operating at greater than 80 percent capacity needs to be expanded. Expansion of the plant will handle future capacity from the region necessitated by the current and planned developments for the next 10 to 15 years.

• $15,000,000 for the Quakertown Plant Upgrade. Expanding the Quakertown Wastewater Treatment plant will provide for the anticipated growth of the area and will provide for recover of tapping fees due to future development. The Quakertown Wastewater treatment plant is nearing capacity and the northern part of the county is anticipated to grow rapidly. The expansion will provide for the anticipated growth of the area and will provide for recover of tapping fees due to future development.

• $15,000,000 for the CNB Expansion. Expansion of the wastewater treatment plant to accommodate wet weather and peak flows. The project impacts Plumstead, Bedminster, Doylestown Township and New Britain Borough.

• $2,000,000 for the Old Dublin Pumps in Doylestown Township. Replace the pumps at the Upper Dublin Wastewater Treatment plant that have outlasted their useful lives. The project impacts Plumstead, Bedminster and Doylestown townships.

“We heard from our customers and the communities we serve about the importance of maintaining the authority as a public utility. They affirmed our confidence that BCWSA is well equipped to successfully complete a multi-year, multi-million-dollar infrastructure improvement campaign,” said Jones. “Our investments will go beyond just replacing aging pipes and equipment but improve capacities for those we serve, allow for regional growth and create a sustainable future.”

Payment of the first bond issue will raise BCWSA retail sewer customers’ rates by 10 percent over the next three years. The rate increase to wholesale customers overall will be about 16 percent. Customers will see the new rates reflected on their bills starting this month.

“Water and sewer service is not something most think about except when it’s time to pay the bills,” said Jones. “The infrastructure required to reliably deliver clean water and drain and treat wastewater can be taken for granted – until it doesn’t work. That is why we must make ongoing investments and ensure that we address issues before they occur.”

The initial $155 million investment is part of a $197.6 million bond series recently approved by the BCWSA Board of Directors. A portion of the total proceeds are dedicated to refund the Authority’s existing bonds and sewer debt. Additionally, BCWSA anticipates issuing at least two additional series of bonds within the next five years to finance additional infrastructure improvements.

BCWSA has created a website, www.BCWSAInvestments.org, to track the status of the infrastructure projects.