Perkiomen Board Reverses Regional Sewer Authority Vote

The voted unanimously to reverse its position asking the Lower Perkiomen Valley Regional Sewer Authority (LPVRSA) to hire an independent engineer to complete an updated Act 537 Plan regarding a new sewer interceptor.

The August 7 vote comes on the heels of the LPVRSA reversing its own vote on the issue, opting to keep its in-house engineer for the project.

“The reason for that is, quite bluntly, Lower Providence has been a thorn in everybody’s side in this process,” said Perkiomen Township Supervisor Richard Kratz, who represents the township to the LPVRSA.

The new interceptor along the Perkiomen Creek at Arcola Road near Hoy Park in Lower Providence Township has been a hot-button issue for the LPVRSA, which provides wastewater treatment to Lower Providence, Perkiomen, Skippack, and Upper Providence Townships, and the boroughs of Collegeville and Trappe.

According to a letter from  based out of Lower Providence,  there are multiple issues with the interceptor plan as it stands, including destruction to the environment and recreation area, safety concerns with flooding, and potential raw sewage disasters.

The group also questioned the LPVRSA board’s decision to reverse their vote on having a third-party engineer complete the Act 537 plan, which must be updated before work can continue, stating that the initial vote was to “ensure accuracy and an unbiased perspective.”

According to Kratz, “a majority of [the LPVRSA Board] saw no reason so spend another $30,000 to have a private engineering company do what our engineers can do themselves."

Kratz also noted the expense of the alternative favored by this group, and Lower Providence township officials, which includes a pump station and could cost the authority $8.5 – 10 million, with an annual operating cost of $300,000.

“That’s where we would come in somewhere along the line and increase sewage fees, or whatever,” said Kratz, explaining  the impact on Perkiomen Township residents. “We would divide the $10 million into six municipalities, and we’re talking a lot of money.”

Perkiomen Board Chairman Gordon MacElhenney was adamant about his opposition for the sewer pump station in Lower Providence, if the cost has to be picked up by the neighboring municipalities.

“This is a ‘Not in My Back Yard’ situation, but we have 30,000 other residents to consider,” said MacElhenney.  “Wasting money is not a high priority of this board.”

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