INVESTING OVER $189M IN SCRANTON’S WASTEWATER SYSTEM TO HELP LACKAWANNA COUNTY GROW WHILE IMPROVING WATER QUALITY AND PROTECTING PENNSYLVANIA’S RIVERS AND STREAMS

Pennsylvania American Water is proud to serve as our state’s largest water and wastewater service operator. For more than 135 years, we have provided water and wastewater services across Pennsylvania and currently serve 2.3 million Pennsylvanians in 417 communities – including in Lackawanna County.

We have been providing safe drinking water services to Lackawanna County since 1996. In the winter of 2016, we began providing wastewater service.

PROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT

Communities across Pennsylvania all want the same thing – reliable, safe and affordable water services. Residents should be able to turn on the tap and expect high quality drinking water or flush the toilet and know that their community’s wastewater is being managed and treated in a way that protects Pennsylvania’s treasured rivers and streams.

However, the average ages of most sewer systems and drinking water systems in Pennsylvania are approaching 75 years and 50 years old respectively. According to the American Society of Civil Engineers, Pennsylvania will require an investment of nearly $20 billion in the state’s water and wastewater infrastructure over the next ten years in order to maintain, modernize and address risks, such as public health threats from contaminants known as ‘forever chemicals,’ or PFAS. Municipalities will have to finance necessary water and wastewater improvements to comply with more stringent regulatory requirements while maintaining affordability.

pennsylvania american water scranton wastewater-01

THE CHALLENGE

Like many Pennsylvania municipalities, the Scranton Sewer Authority struggled to finance necessary wastewater infrastructure improvement to comply with stringent regulatory requirements while maintaining affordability. As a result, in 2013, Scranton Sewer Authority entered into a Consent Order and Long Term Control Plan (LTCP) with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) mandating $140 million in upgrades to the system to achieve environmental compliance. Under the agreement, SSA historically faced financial penalties for a number of violations ranging from reporting failures and air quality violations to overflows. Over the years, SSA paid hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines.

As a result, they looked to Pennsylvania American Water for a long-term financial and operational solution that could maximize community benefit. Pennsylvania American Water was already the public water service provider for these communities and brought both the technical expertise and financial resources to meet SSA’s unique challenges, provide a long-term wastewater solution, and maintain reasonable rates for customers.

In December 2016, Pennsylvania American Water acquired the wastewater system assets of Scranton Sewer Authority (SSA) – a Combined Sewer System that provides wastewater service to approximately 30,000 customers in Scranton and Dunmore. The transaction represented one of the largest wastewater acquisitions in the company’s history.

IMPROVING INFRASTRUCTURE

Following the acquisition, Pennsylvania American Water assumed responsibility for the Consent Order and LTCP, completing all projects outlined in the first phase and accelerating second phase projects ahead of schedule using extensive hydraulic modeling and multi-sensor investigation technology. Pennsylvania American Water has replaced or rehabilitated more than 60,000 feet of sewer main, including numerous manholes and catch basins. Pennsylvania American Water has improved on the Consent Order’s mandated reduction in combined sewer overflows (CSOs) by nearly 30 percent through the first two phases of the LTCP, which were completed a year ahead of schedule, and has begun the third phase of the plan to achieve further CSO reduction.

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPROVEMENTS

The Long Term Control Plan (LTCP) that Scranton Sewer Authority entered into with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is a 25-year program of nearly 60 combined sewer overflow (CSO) improvement projects to control and significantly reduce the amount of wastewater discharged into the Lackawanna River and its tributaries. In early 2018, the EPA and Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection confirmed that for the first time, Scranton Wastewater was not facing any penalties for 2017 operations. Since the acquisition, Scranton Wastewater operations underwent numerous inspections for air quality, lab, Wastewater Treatment Plant compliance and collection system compliance, all without violation.

INVESTING IN YOUR COMMUNITY

pennsylvania american water scranton wastewater-02

Pennsylvania American Water Investments in Scranton Wastewater System 2017-2023
CSO Upgrades - $66 million
Plant Upgrades - $34 million
Other Investment Projects - $3.6 million

Post-Acquisition Accomplishments

  • Accomplished compliance with Consent Order and LTCP deadlines
  • Replaced or rehabilitated more than 60,000 feet of sewer main, including numerous manholes and catch basins
  • Completed survey, assessment and GIS mapping of entire collection system

Pennsylvania American Water has already invested millions in the Scranton plant improvements and plans to invest an additional $10 million over the next five years.

Learn more about how Pennsylvania American Water’s ongoing investments and expertise have drastically improved water infrastructure in Lackawanna County here.

LEARN MORE

We believe that safe, effective, and reliable water and wastewater treatment is a vital service. Being a good steward of your water – including what goes down the drain – is just one more way We Keep Life Flowing right here in Lackawanna County.