ALLENTOWN – Municipal officials have informed residents that Pact Two, LLC, the contractor working on Allentown’s waste water treatment plant improvement project, “is nearly complete with structural and concrete improvements at the primary clarifiers. … The primary clarifiers will be filled with clean water … to test for leaks.”
Improvements to the borough’s waste water treatment plant on Breza Road have been underway for several months. Members of the Borough Council recently voted to make the eighth ($223,930) and ninth ($119,658) payments to Pact Two for work the company has completed on the project.
According to the borough’s Dec. 15 update, “The contractor has continued structural improvements for the new electrical panels and platforms in the control building. They are approximately 70% complete.
“The new bar screen channel is approximately 90% complete. The new sludge collection pits and pump stations are approximately 85% complete. The IFAS (integrated fixed film activated sludge system) and sludge tank mechanical components are on site and are approximately 50% complete.
“The temporary treatment system is operating as required. The borough’s waste water treatment plant operator, Lyons Environmental Services, has not reported any major issues, but has concerns with components freezing in cold weather.
“The contractor is aware and taking the necessary precautions. Electrical panels are anticipated to be on site and installed before the end of the year.
“As of late November, three members of the construction crew showed symptoms COVID-19. As a result, construction was halted for one week so crew members could self-isolate and confirm they would test negative.
“After one week, the laborers were not showing any COVID symptoms and tested negative for the virus. Work was permitted to re-start,” municipal officials wrote in the update.
In October 2019, Borough Council members awarded a $3.95 million contract for the construction of new waste water treatment facilities to Pact Two, LLC, following several years of discussion and planning.
Municipal officials said the project will result in upgrades to Allentown’s failing treatment plant.
Carmela Roberts, whose firm, Roberts Engineering Group, Hamilton, designed the improvements, has said new components related to the treatment process would be installed and existing components related to the treatment process would be upgraded at the plant. Additions to the building will also be made.
Roberts has explained that after waste water that enters the plant has been treated, the resulting clean water will be discharged into Doctors Creek.
Council members authorized the issuance of bonds or notes in the amount of $4.6 million to finance the new infrastructure. Officials said the project is being funded through the New Jersey Infrastructure Bank.
