Several sewer plant issues, and the use of Community Development Block Grant money, were key topics at Slatington's Water/ Sewer/Highway Workshop Committee meeting Monday evening.

Sewer Chairman Bob Steets said three quotes had recently come in for a liquid ring compressor pump on a digester; one from Bellview Pump Sales & Service, one from Crystal Spring Electric and one from Flow Data Industries, LLC.Committee members remarked that any borough projects between $10,300 and $19,099, which this one will be, need to get three quotes but do not move on to a formal bidding process. They also noted that while sometimes quotes include all work and parts needed, other times they do not.In addition, they said a quote was received for what could be considered "an emergency situation" that arose at the sewer plant, in which a pipe on top of a digester has recently rusted out and is in need of repairs."It's a lot more (money)…" started Sewer member Bryon Reed, whose sentence was then finished by Steets, "but it's got to get done." Reed agreed.Earlier, workshop members had discussed various uses for 2013 and 2014 CDBG money in regard to borough roads in need of repair.They said the money needs to go toward roads in low- to moderate-income areas of the borough; the only area not able to be included because of that mandate is the area around the Northern Lehigh School District school buildings.This year, borough council President Daniel Stevens said they plan to choose roads that are "more high traffic," including Washington Street near Second Street. He also said that, last year, CDBG money had been used for repairs on East Church Street.Lastly, Reed said he believes that some borough residences' waste water may be draining into the storm sewer system. He said he noticed that during the stretch of extremely cold weather several weeks ago, steam was rising from two culverts at Main and East Church Streets and Main Street and South Middle Alley.Borough engineer Larry Turoscy said ice cold storm water would not be creating steam and added that one way to check this again would be to view the culverts on another extremely cold day during the morning or evening, when more residents would be using their bathrooms.Reed said these types of issues should be checked and fixed before any road repairs are done.