Corps Signs Partnership Agreement for Wastewater Treatment Plant Upgrades

Published Dec. 13, 2019
Updated: Dec. 13, 2019

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District has entered into a more than $1.3-million project-partnership agreement with the city of Steubenville to complete upgrades to the wastewater treatment plant.

 

The partnership agreement is the first step in rehabilitating the 36-million-gallon per-day wastewater treatment plant. The upgrades include completion of major secondary aeration tank repairs, installation of new aeration diffuser equipment, and integration of a new computer control system.

 

“The opportunity to work with the city of Steubenville on a project that will positively affect so many people is huge for the district,” said Col. Andrew “Coby” Short, commander, Pittsburgh District. “Providing our engineering expertise to the upgrades at the wastewater treatment plant means we are not only improving the functionality of the plant, but we are helping the community protect their water resources.”

 

Rehabilitating the secondary aeration tanks will avoid untreated wastewater being pumped into the river and fines being issued to the city of Steubenville. The new aeration blowers within the tanks are more energy-efficient and adequately sized to meet the demands of the wastewater treatment process.

 

“The plant upgrades will bring the city into compliance with environmental regulations by reducing the amount of sewage overflows discharged directly into the Ohio River,” said Project Manager Scott Swansinger, Pittsburgh District.

 

U.S. Rep. Bill Johnson, 6th Congressional District representative, has worked closely with the Pittsburgh District to champion projects like these for communities like Steubenville.

 

“I was pleased to support the grant funding for this important project that has been long-sought after by local and county officials,” Bill Johnson said. “Thank you to the Pittsburgh District of the Army Corps of Engineers for their hard work to bring this wastewater improvement project closer to fruition.”

 

The contract work is estimated to be completed by September 2021.

 

The government shares the cost of the project with the sponsor at a rate of 75 to 25 percent, respectively, under the Section 594 reimbursement program.

 

BACKGROUND: Section 594 of the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 1999 (PL 106-53) authorizes the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to provide design and/or construction assistance to non-federal interests for carrying out water-related environmental infrastructure, resource protection, and development projects within the state of Ohio.

 

 

Pittsburgh District’s 26,000 square miles include portions of western Pennsylvania, northern West Virginia, eastern Ohio, western Maryland and southwestern New York. It includes more than 328 miles of navigable waterways, 23 navigation locks and dams, 16 multi-purpose flood control reservoirs, 42 local flood-protection projects, and other projects to protect and enhance the nation’s water resources infrastructure and environment.

 

FOLLOW the Pittsburgh District: Twitter, Facebook and Flickr.

 

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Contact
Carol Vernon
412-395-7500/7502
412-713-4626 (cell)
CELRP-PA@usace.army.mil
1000 Liberty Ave

Release no. 19-026