A new engineering company proposes a change to the sanitary sewer project in Lower Towamensing Township.

Douglas Kopp, a civil engineer with Arro Engineering, provided project updates to the supervisors.

The firm was hired by the township to take over the project from Carbon Engineering Inc. in Summit Hill.

The Sanitary Sewer Project, as it stood, was expected to cost $13,638,400, but eliminating some of the pipes and using grinder pumps in one section could cut about $500,000 off the cost.

Kopp said his company found two sections of pipes that could be eliminated from the plan. They include sections that would run 12 feet to 15 feet under the creek.

They also recommend that houses in the area by Covered Bridge Road along Little Gap Road could use a low-pressure sewer system, because they cannot be shallowed up due to the creek crossing.

Kopp explained that a low-pressure sewer system uses a grinder pump on the outside of the house to create the pressure.

A grinder pump should last about 20 years costs and costs around $400. With the cost of installation, the total could run about $6,000.

Kopp said a grinder pump “allows you to keep the sewer grade much shallower. And it gets rid of the pump station. That would be a savings.”

Kopp said 55 houses would need a grinder pump. Originally, they would have been connected to a pumping station, which goes down 25 feet deep.

Kopp said he knows of a municipality that chose to be responsible for the ownership and maintenance of the grinder pump units, laterals and mains for the life of financing.

“That appears to be a unique situation,” he said.

Most municipalities purchase the grinder pumps, and the property owners pay for installation and maintenance.

Supervisor Michael Takerer agreed that using a low-pressure system with grinder pumps would provide a cost savings compared to the gravity system.

“It does solve a big problem and saves a lot of money over there,” he said.

If the residents own the grinder pumps and have to maintain them, then they might be more careful with what they flush down into the sewer system, Takerer said.

The main sewer line would still run down Little Gap Road.

In all, about 500 houses would be connected to the line. All houses within 150 feet of the sewer line would have to connect to it.

The 150 feet is measured from the closest part of the house to the sewer line, not where the sewer leaves the house.

Brent Green, the chairman of the supervisors, said the next step of the project involves scheduling meetings with the Bond Counsel, Pennvest, the state Department of Environmental Protection, and U.S. Department of Agriculture.

“We did not secure any easements to date,” he said.

Green said once they get the plan updated, then they will pursue getting funding and grants.