UPDATES: 1,207,368.69 FT. OF TELESCOPIC INSPECTIONS & CLEANING COMPLETE AS OF NOVEMBER 7, 2024. See details below.
BCWSA
Investing in Our Communities
BCWSA - PROVEN
The Bucks County Water & Sewer Authority (BCWSA) provides water and sewer services to about 525,000 people across southeastern Pennsylvania, making it one of the largest water and sewer authorities in the Commonwealth. Since 1962, BCWSA has been providing customers with high-quality services while making ongoing investments to an aging system. In December 2022, the Authority sold $197.6 million in bonds, dedicating $155 million to make significant upgrades and repairs across its sewer system with the remaining portion allocated to paying existing debt.
Maintaining an
Aging System
Water and sewer service is not something most think about except when it’s time to pay the bills. The infrastructure required to reliably deliver clean water and drain wastewater can be taken for granted – until it doesn’t work. The long-term reliability and vitality of BCWSA services is entirely dependent on the Authority’s ability to repair, replace and expand the systems’ infrastructure. This is something the authority has done for the last 60 years and plans to continue for the next 60 years.
Need for investments
BCWSA heard from its customers and the communities it serves and declined a $1.1 billion acquisition offer from a private company. BCWSA will remain a public utility and continue to make investments that go beyond just replacing aging pipes and equipment but also supports:
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What this means for customers
To provide a revenue source to make the much-needed repairs and upgrades, BCWSA approved to raise almost $200 million through the first of three bond issues to cover an initial list of infrastructure improvements. Payment of the first bond issue will raise the BCWSA retail sewer customers’ rates by 10% over the next three years. The rate increase to wholesale customers overall will be about 16%. The rate increases go into effect January 2023.
Capital Improvement Needs - Wastewater infrastructure
Project
repair cost
Service area
municipalities
Neshaminy Interceptor
$60M
Lower Bucks County
The Neshaminy Interceptor needs significant improvements and upgrades to handle the increased flow. The plan is to bypass and replace the 12 miles of aging pipe infrastructure to mitigate inflow and infiltration for both economic and environmental improvements.
Impact Analysis: view how local municipal systems are impacting the main sewer intake
Bensalem Twp, Falls Twp, Bristol Twp, Newtown Twp, Newtown Boro, Northampton Twp, Middletown Twp, Langhorne Boro, Penndel Boro, Hulmeville Boro and Langhorne Manor Boro
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Upper Dublin Sewer System and Ambler Borough Wastewater Treatment Facility
$17M
Montgomery County
Upper Dublin Township and
Ambler Borough
The capital improvement project will upgrade Upper Dublin Township’s sewer system and provide new wastewater treatment capacity to Ambler Borough.
BCWSA will construct a watertight pump station in Upper Dublin Township and install a new 12,000 linear-foot force main, a pressurized pipe that moves wastewater to a treatment plant using pumps or compressors, to Ambler Borough where the wastewater will be treated. The existing 71-year-old treatment facility in Upper Dublin, which is in a floodplain, will be taken out of service and decommissioned.
Telescopic Inspection of Sewer Mains
$27.5M
Bucks and Montgomery Counties
NA
The Authority entered into a consent decree with the US Department of Justice to undertake camera inspection of approximately 800 miles of sewer mains over the next seven years. Once the areas of concern are identified, the Authority is required to undertake the necessary repairs.
Status:
-
1,207,368.69 ft feet of telescopic inspections & cleaning complete as of November 7, 2024.
-
Upcoming work will continue throughout Richland Township (Bucks, PA).
Green Street Upgrade
$20M
Doylestown Township
Doylestown TWP, Doylestown Borough
Doylestown Township sewer system is in the process of being expanded and upgraded. Phases I and II are currently being constructed and the latest bonds will support the construction of Phases III and IV. The expansion of the wastewater treatment plant is to handle future capacity from the region necessitated by the current and planned developments, as well as, failing on lot septic system for the next 10 – 15 years.
Lambertville Upgrade
$15M
Lambertville, NJ
New Hope Boro, Solebury Twp and Lambertville NJ
The Lambertville Wastewater treatment plant is physically located in New Jersey, and sewage is umped across the Delaware River via a line over the Lambertville Bridge. The current treatment being undertaken is nearing 80% of its treatment capacity and New Jersey State law requires any wastewater treatment plant operating at greater than 80% capacity needs to be expanded. Expansion of the plant will handle future capacity from the region necessitated by the current and planned developments for the next 10 – 15 years.
Quakertown Plant Upgrade
$15M
Quakertown
The Quakertown Wastewater treatment plant is nearing capacity and the northern part of the county is anticipated to grow rapidly. The expansion will provide for the anticipated growth of the area and will provide for recover of tapping fees due to future development.
Quakertown, Richlandtown Borough and Richland Twp.
CNB Expansion
$15M
Doylestown Township
Expansion of the wastewater treatment plant to accommodate wet weather and peak flows.
Plumstead Twp, Bedminster Twp, Doylestown Twp and New Britain Borough
Old Dublin PS Pumps
$2M
Doylestown Township
Expansion of the wastewater treatment plant to accommodate wet weather and peak flows.
Plumstead Twp, Bedminster Twp, and Doylestown Twp
