Coaldale will pay its share of $350,000 to obtain a $2.5 million grant for the Coaldale-Lansford-Summit Hill Sewer Authority.

During Tuesday’s meeting, council voted unanimously on a spending plan that will ease the burden of coming up with the entire amount up front.

Through it, the borough will chip in $50,000 by April 30 and $100,000 by Sept. 30. Payments of $100,000 each would be due by Sept. 30 of 2027 and 2028.

Coaldale, along with Lansford and Summit Hill, is served by the aging sewerage system and plant.

In order to receive the multimillion dollar federal grant, the boroughs and the authority need to come up with a $1.4 million match, or $350,000 each, according to Mayor Daniel Weiksner.

Weiksner, council President Rose Hoben and vice President Michael Radocha attended a sewer authority meeting last week that brought representatives from all municipalities.

He explained that the authority originally received the grant for a vortex separator but that would have required each borough to compile a lengthy Act 537.

“They did get permission to basically redirect it to look to try and minimize the infiltration in all three towns,” Weiksner said of the change in the grant’s scope.

At the meeting, it was noted that the most immediate concern is stormwater infiltration and inflow into the sewerage system.

Therefore, funding would be used towards scoping sewer system lines to identify stormwater infiltration and inflow into the sewer from all three boroughs. Slip lining, or coating, could be applied to lines where infiltration is happening and total deterioration hasn’t occurred.

“There are some benefits besides cameraing them. It will give us a real good map of our sewer lines, it will give us where people’s sewer pipes tie into them. It will say where the sewer lines are, how deep they are, etc.,” Weiksner said.

To receive the hefty grant, he said, a commitment is needed from the three municipalities and the authority.

“All three towns basically balked at laying out $350,000 in one fell swoop,” Weiskner said. “It would have depleted the sewer transmission funds in all three towns.”

After some discussion, he said, the pay schedule was suggested.

“This project really has to be done,” Weiskner advised. “Down the road we are going to have a lot more work. There are going to be a lot more improvements that have to be made down at the sewer plant, although Coaldale is pretty good with separating our storm sewers and sanitary sewers.”

But all three towns, he said, have problems with water infiltration.

Furthermore, Weiskner said that the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System only allows for up to four overflows each year, after which fines can be levied. It was noted at a previous meeting that the plant, built in the mid-1960s, typically overflows more often than that annually.

Radocha said that the scoping of the lines will help with Act 537 preparation, which will need to be done soon.

Asked if the borough had enough funds to cover the outlay, Radocha said that it did. Covering the entire $350,000 at once, however, could have presented a challenge if money from the sewer transmission fee fund was needed elsewhere in the near future.

“We will get $350,000 worth of work minimum. We may get more,” Radocha said.

He further explained that the borough is responsible for all the mains in Coaldale, the authority takes care of trunk lines and property owners are maintain their laterals.

Lansford borough council will meet today to discuss the issue.

Summit Hill also agreed Tuesday to enter into an intermunicipal agreement with the authority to scope and repairs municipal sewer lines.

Council President David Wargo said the work is needed to appease requirements by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Resources.

He said the borough will also eventually have to work on creating a sewage facilities plan to address improvements to the sewerage system and sewage treatment plant.

Ron Gower contributed to this report.