Grant Street sewage situation discussed at Reynoldsville Water and Sewer Authority meeting

The status of the Grant Street sewer situation was a topic of discussion at the Reynoldsville Water and Sewer Authority meeting on July 29.

On July 26, Reynlow Community News posted pictures on its Facebook page of an open sewer pipe with drainage, a situation that had been going on for several days. The pictures were provided by a resident in that area.

In his report to the board, Systems Manager Robert Crosby said, in his opinion, the situation was caused by using the wrong equipment to dig up the area (a backhoe used by the borough). He said the backhoe cannot do the job efficiently and an excavator should be used instead.

“If you are struggling with this, this is the first you brought it up,” Board President Barry Fillman commented. “For the record…you made no attempt to inform me of that.”

Crosby also said the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) was notified of the laterals being left open over the weekend. In his conversation with DEP, Crosby said he was informed there could be a $10,000 fine if it happened again.

Board member Mike Beck said he visited the site and he didn’t see how things could be done differently.

“They’re doing all they can do until they get the pipe hooked up…there’s nothing that I can see that you would change,” he said.

Crosby added that he informed DEP he was trying to avoid overtime and that he feels he is short staffed right now. DEP informed him that they want the authority to “hook in at the end of every night.”

An old water line was hit by the borough crew during the work. Crosby said the line was shallow and that it was still charged with water. He wasn’t sure where the pipe was going and if it was supplying water to any customers. The plan that was developed was to cap the line at Sixth Street and then work around a manhole cover on Seventh Street to find the line at that end and cap it to see if the line is actually supplying water to someone.

Because of the break, residents in the area are under a boil water advisory.