Chester Stormwater Authority gets $9.98M loan from Pa.

CHESTER >> The Stormwater Authority of the City of Chester has received a $9.98 million low interest loan through the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority, or PennVEST, to fund the authority’s next phase of projects, state Rep. Brian Kirkland, D-159 of Chester, announced Wednesday. The 20year loan carries an interest rate of

1 percent.

“To get a loan at that rate, it’s not normal … it helps strengthen the authority to get work done without higher rates (on residents),” Kirkland said Wednesday.

The money will cover a number of upcoming projects, the largest of which is improvement to inlets connected to the combined stormwater system managed by DELCORA, according to authority Executive Manager the Rev. Horace Strand, D.Div.

Strand said Wednesday that the authority is addressing an overwhelming volume of water outpours over the last two years. “The weather is changing and the needs are changing, and we’ve got a system that’s antiquated,” he said.

“Our main emphasis is the stormwater inlets that are outdated; some piping that may be antiquated,” said Strand.

“They can’t handle it going into these inlets … we’re going put pipes in large enough to handle the larger volume and divert it into the (Chester) creek instead of the combined system,” he said, noting the authority will be working with DELCORA in sections of the project.

According to a press release from Kirkland’s office, the first phase of the project will cover “approximately 9,500 feet of pipe, 65 catch basins, 200 manholes and associated stormwater roadway restoration.” It will also include installing water quality devices “to remove trash and sediment from the system, and to remove pollutants from the water.”

The loan is the second major funding for the authority secured through PennVEST. The authority announced two low-interest loans totaling $10.8 million in April 2018. The first round of loans funded the authority’s five initial projects - Memorial Park – GSI (Green Stormwater Infrastructure) Project; City Hall Pavers; Water Quality Inlet Improvements; Rain Garden at Eyre Park; and Eyre Park Greenway. The inlet improvements at that time entailed 300 of the city’s 1,700 inlets.

On Sept. 26 of that year, the authority acquired all 1,700 inlets from city government for $1. Livia Smith, chairwoman of the Chester Stormwater Authority, said at the time that because the city didn’t have the resources to tend to all the inlets, the authority was assuming control.

“One area we’ll focus on is the area along Kerlin Street coordinator … and closer to the Chester Creek area,” Strand said Wednesday. “The idea is reducing the flooding, especially in that area, that residents get in their homes and in the streets.

Strand said that the authority has made progress on its initial round of projects, completing its work at Memorial Park and on the Eyre Drive. It is now working on improvements to the Eyre Park Greenway.

“We’ve been repairing inlets; sinkholes that were the result of stormwater problems,” he said. The authority now has three contractors in place for inlet repair and replacement, along with its own crews keeping the inlets clear.

“Over the past year or so there has been a minimum amount of flooding,” Strand said. “Not all of it has been eliminated… but overall it’s been a tremendous relief for the residents with stormwater.” Strand believes residents are “starting to appreciate the difference” the authority’s work has made in reducing flooding and keeping streets clean.