Rep. Zach Mako (R-Lehigh/Northampton) today announced Slatington Borough was awarded an almost $400,000 Small Water and Sewer Grant for its wastewater treatment plant.

The funding comes from the Commonwealth Financing Agency, which manages the state's economic stimulus programs."The Slatington wastewater treatment plant has been under order to improve," Mako said. "This funding will help make necessary upgrades that will not only improve the plant's operations, but also make them safer. I'm pleased to have been able to advance this project, which my predecessor, Julie Harhart, began."The $395,185 award will convert one existing digestion tank to aerobic digestion and install necessary accessories and make repairs. The plant currently has no functioning digesters and is only able to use a portion of the smaller tank's capacity for sludge-holding purposes. This project will help bring the plant into compliance. In addition, aerobic digestion is a safer process, as buildup of toxic gases is eliminated.