A project to address Lehighton’s inflow and infiltration matters regarding its sanitary sewer system could go out to bid later this month.

Borough engineer Vanessa Nedrick informed borough council on Monday that the project should be able to be bid out by April 30.

Nedrick recommended borough council to award the bid at its May 6 meeting.

However, borough Manager Dane DeWire needs to determine whether or not 2021 COVID relief money can be used as the federal grant matches before the borough commits.

The borough has received an additional $500,000 to address its inflow and infiltration matters concerning its sanitary sewer system.

DeWire said the $500,000 is directly through state Sen. Bob Casey’s fiscal year 2024 community project funding.

DeWire said that will give the borough $1.6 million in funding to rehabilitate the system.

Nedrick said that engineering for the project is covered by the grant.

DeWire said the plan is to attack the problem from all sides.

In February, council members and DeWire met with the Central Carbon Municipal Authority concerning the borough’s wastewater issues.

Councilman Steven Hawk said that a lot of the infiltration coming into the plant is from the borough, which is a major concern.

Nedrick said there’s a lot of terra-cotta in the system, and two areas in the borough, zone 3 and zone 6, which provide 80% of the water issues the borough has.

She said if the borough were to take care of those two zones, it would be taking care of 80% of it.

DeWire said addressing the situation could potentially save the borough thousands of dollars per month.

The borough received the H20 Pennsylvania Water Supply, Sanitary Sewer and Stormwater Projects grant for $611,245.

Nedrick told council the grant can be used for inflow and infiltration abatement work throughout the borough.

She said she believes the borough has three years to spend the grant.

Nedrick said in March 2023 there were two drainage areas in the older portions downtown that have about 80% flow infiltration. She said at that time there was a 50% grant match.

Former borough Manager Steve Travers said the match portion was from the borough’s ARPA funds.

The study broke it up into seven drainage areas. Travers said that would take care of two drainage areas.