Representatives of the Newtown Bucks County Joint Municipal Authority (NBCJMA, aka Sewer Authority) were initially scheduled to present a Capital Project (i.e., sewage treatment plant) Update at the 13 November 2024 Newtown Board of Supervisors (BOS) meeting. However, this presentation has been removed from the agenda for that meeting and will be rescheduled.
For some background on this project, read "#NewtownPA Sewer Authority Purchases Land for Sewage Treatment Plant" and links to further information therein.
Meanwhile, Warren Gromley, Special Project Manager, and Theresa Funk, Sewer Authority Engineer, gave the Newtown Borough Council an update on November 6, 2024. You can listen to this presentation on an excerpt from the meeting on Youtube here.
Here's my synopsis of the important points made:
- Cost estimate of $128 million, which includes the cost of 17 acres of land on 42 University Dr in Newtown already purchased (see above).
- Probably anywhere from two and a half to three and a half years during construction, the Authority would have to stay with Bucks County Water & Sewer Authority (BCWSA) and also pay off the debt incurred. That would probably mean a sizable rate hike to cover these additional costs. When asked what those increased costs might be, a 15% a year rate increase was mentioned.
- The plant itself is state-of-the-art similar to the Wolcott Wastewater Treatment Plant in Wyandotte County/Kansas City, Kansas.