The Shapiro administration recently revelaed that Pennsylvania American Water was awarded $7.9 million in low-interest financing from the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority (PENNVEST), for two infrastructure improvement projects, including the replacement of lead service lines in the City of Pittsburgh and wastewater collection system repairs in Exeter, Berks County.

“At Pennsylvania American Water, we strive to provide our customers with high-quality, reliable water and wastewater services while also meeting environmental standards and regulations,” said Pennsylvania American Water Vice President of Engineering Bruce Aiton. “We’re thankful to PENNVEST for approving loan requests for projects that will support us in those efforts. This funding will have a positive impact on the service provided for many of our customers by enabling us to continue our efforts to remove lead service lines in our City of Pittsburgh water system and also to repair aging wastewater infrastructure in our Exeter wastewater system.”

One PENNVEST loan of $1,891,056 and one grant of $3,908,944 million will support a project to replace 357 identified lead water service lines in the City of Pittsburgh, including 258 residential lines in the 29th Ward and 99 residential lines in Mt. Oliver Borough.

The project will replace 57 utility-owned and 300 private-owned lead water service lines. Removal of all leaded components will provide direct water quality improvements to customers and is consistent with regulatory and Pennsylvania American Water initiatives to eliminate lead-containing lines from the public water supply system.

The $2.1 million loan will repair aging infrastructure in the company’s Exeter wastewater system, reduce inflow and infiltration, and improve treatment plant operations. Specifically, the project consists of replacing 10 sections of sanitary sewer main totaling approximately 1,815 feet and the 18 manholes located therein.

“Investing in Pennsylvania’s infrastructure is commonsense; my Administration continues to focus on these upgrades with the goal that every Pennsylvanian has access to clean water,” said Governor Josh Shapiro in the Commonwealth’s official announcement. “This investment will help to ensure that public health is protected across the Commonwealth and that residents have their constitutional rights to pure water upheld.” 

The terms for the PENNVEST loan for the Pittsburgh project are 1 percent for the full 30-year loan period. For the Exeter loan, the terms are 1 percent for the first five years and 1.743 percent for the remainder of the 20-year loan period. 

Learn more at Pennsylvania American Water, a subsidiary of American Water, the largest regulated water utility in the state, providing high-quality and reliable water and wastewater services to approximately 2.3 million people.