HARRISBURG – On Friday Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) Secretary Dennis Davin announced $1 million in funds through the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program to improve sewer infrastructure in Decatur Township, Clearfield County.
“Our communities deserve infrastructure that helps make residents’ day-to-day lives healthy and safe,” Davin said.
“Right now, much of Decatur Township’s sewer infrastructure on residents’ properties is in disrepair and posing challenges to people’s health and the environment. This funding will enable these problems to finally be fixed.”
Clearfield County was approved for a $1 million grant for improvements to Decatur Township’s sewer infrastructure. In New Liberty, part of Decatur Township, approximately 90 percent of homes have malfunctioning on-lot septic systems.
CDBG funding will be used for the construction of a collection line system that will transfer sewage to the Moshannon Valley Sewer System. This grant is the final piece of funding needed for the project to begin.
Expected to complete in January of 2020, the project will help protect the health of residents as well as the environment.
“We are thankful for the continued support we receive from the Department of Community and Economic Development in assisting us to serve the low to moderate income households throughout Clearfield County,” said Commissioner John Sobel, on behalf of the Clearfield County Commissioners.
“These funds will enable Decatur Township to eliminate several malfunctioning on lot sewage systems by providing residents in the New Liberty area safe, reliable, and most importantly, affordable public sewage service.”
While programs like CDBG provide important funding to help specific municipalities improve their aging infrastructure, additional resources are needed to address the problem at a comprehensive, statewide level.
Gov. Tom Wolf’s bipartisan Restore Pennsylvania proposal will provide $4.5 billion to address infrastructure issues like blight, broadband, flood protection, green infrastructure and contaminant remediation.
For more information, visit the DCED Web site, and be sure to stay up-to-date with all of the agency news on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
Learn more about the Restore Pennsylvania plan.