LEITHSVILLE ACT 537 PLAN UPDATE - SEWER STUDY
History (2001-2004)
In the spring of 2004, the Lower Saucon Authority completed a review of the potential need to provide public sewers in the Leithsville Study Area and made presentations to the Lower Saucon Township Council.
The Study had begun in 2001 and a draft was formally submitted to the Lower Saucon Township Council at the May 5, 2004 Council Session. The Study reviewed the need for public sewers to be provided to serve somewhat over 400 customers including the Creekside Shopping Center and the areas of Hellertown Park, Leithsville and Bingen / Bingen East. The study found high to moderate need for public sewers.
In October 2004, we made a similar presentation to the Hellertown Borough Council, at which time they suggested that we consider an alternate gravity route through Front Street in the Borough, working jointly with the Hellertown Borough Authority. The idea was to minimize impact on the Hellertown Marsh, a potentially environmentally sensitive portion of the Borough's park lands located between the Saucon Creek and the old railroad, south of Friedensville Road (Water Street). We subsequently worked with the Hellertown Borough Authority to examine this option.
Recent Activity (2007)
Ultimately, after an extensive review and engineering evaluation of the Front Street route by the Hellertown Borough Authority, it was determined that it would be better for them to maintain their existing sewer line in the street rather than to replace it.
Subsequently, we have identified a route along the greenway area to the west of the Hellertown Marsh which would provide an environmentally sensitive way to go around that area, leaving the actual Marsh untouched. Further north along the proposed route, we believe we have identified a way to tie into the existing interceptors which are in the area of the Thomas Iron Works site. The initial proposal is to bring the interceptor up along the existing path which is just west of the old railroad trestles, to minimize disruption of the interior portions of the site. This path would place the new interceptor somewhat to the west of the existing Hellertown Boro Authority interceptor, which also traverses the area.
The Authority made a presentation to the Lower Saucon Council on April 18, 2007 outlining the work done in this continuing Study over the past three years. The Council recommended that we discuss the proposed routing with the Environmental Advisory Council to get some preliminary guidance on potential environmental issues.
We made a presentation to the Lower Saucon Township Environmental Advisory Council at their August 7, 2007 session and reviewed the proposed route and how to best minimize any negative environmental impacts. Several issues were discussed and there was an understanding that we would continue to work together on specific issues (final routing, restoration, etc.) as the project is reviewed and hopefully approved by the Township Council and transitions into the next stages. It is important to note that at this point, the route is conceptual in that it has not been surveyed and completely evaluated from an engineering standpoint.
A presentation was made to Hellertown Borough Council at their regular meeting on September 4, 2007. An outline of that presentation can be accessed by clicking on the link below. After that presentation, the Borough Council discussed the project in a public meeting on September 17, which included discussion with the Hellertown Borough Authority, represented by Authority Chairman Brandon Easley and Administrator David Riegel. One of the issues discussed at that meeting was the potential advantages to Hellertown if the project were to go forward. The Lower Saucon Authority responded with a presentation of the potential advantages at the Borough Council Meeting of October 1, 2007. An outline of that presentation can be accessed by clicking on the link below.
Finally, the ongoing PowerPoint presentation has been updated (10-05-07) to reflect a few slight route adjustments made over the past month. The two changes are that (1) we have added some detail to the proposed routing through the southern portion from the soccer fields just south of the Historical Society / Grist Mill area southward to the area of McDonalds, and (2) that we changed the approach to the greenway alongside the Hellertown Marsh to minimize disruption of the playing field area. In addition, we have added detail on some of the ongoing discussion into the presentation to keep it current.
SKETCH OF PRELIMINARY GRAVITY ROUTE ALONGSIDE HELLERTOWN - OCTOBER 2007
OVERVIEW OF ENTIRE PROJECT SHOWING SEWER MAINS AND PARCELS
PRESENTATION MADE TO HELLERTOWN COUNCIL 09-04-07
PRESENTATION MADE TO HELLERTOWN COUNCIL 10-01-07
OUTLINE OF CURRENT PROJECT PRESENTATION AS OF 10-05-07
OVERVIEW OF ACT 537 PROCESS PRESENTED TO HELLERTOWN COUNCIL 12-03-07
PRESENTATION TO LOWER SAUCON TOWNSHIP COUNCIL 04-16-08
The above files are Adobe PDFs. If you do not have a viewer, it can be downloaded free by clicking the following link
