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The Covington Twp. Board of Supervisors listened dutifully to the presentation of Jerry Loftus of Pennoni Associates, Inc., an engineering firm based out of Philadelphia, as he explained why the township should consider revising their 537 Plan.
What is a 537 Plan, you ask? It is the Official Sewage Facilities Plan for the township. It determines the wastewater needs of the township and evaluates alternatives to address those needs.
The plan, which was enacted by the PA Legislature in 1966, was established to (1) protect the health, safety and welfare of the community, (2) correct existing problems and prevent future problems, and (3) protect groundwater and surface water while fitting into a comprehensive water quality program.
When a municipality adopts a plan, the plan is submitted for review and approved by the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). By regulation, the planning process is not final until an Act 537 Plan has been approved by DEP.
DEP typically looks at five-year cycles for the municipality to revise and tweak their plan. In the case of Covington Twp., the existing plan was dated June 11, 1990 and is over 21 years old.
Jerry Loftus explained that DEP could require the township to update the plan, or, the township could initiate a revision of their existing plan voluntarily. “Showing a proactive approach to DEP will be to the township’s advantage,” he explained.
Supervisor Thomas Yerke agreed stating that “(wastewater) capacity is way up since the Industrial Park and the high school were built. If we reach capacity, it would limit future development.”
The cost of the plan was discussed but it can vary anywhere from $10,000 to $50,000 depending on the scope of the project. The board will consider its options and decide on whether or not to act on the plan sometime in the near future.
The Covington Twp. Board of Supervisors listened dutifully to the presentation of Jerry Loftus of Pennoni Associates, Inc., an engineering firm based out of Philadelphia, as he explained why the township should consider revising their 537 Plan.
What is a 537 Plan, you ask? It is the Official Sewage Facilities Plan for the township. It determines the wastewater needs of the township and evaluates alternatives to address those needs.
The plan, which was enacted by the PA Legislature in 1966, was established to (1) protect the health, safety and welfare of the community, (2) correct existing problems and prevent future problems, and (3) protect groundwater and surface water while fitting into a comprehensive water quality program.
When a municipality adopts a plan, the plan is submitted for review and approved by the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). By regulation, the planning process is not final until an Act 537 Plan has been approved by DEP.
DEP typically looks at five-year cycles for the municipality to revise and tweak their plan. In the case of Covington Twp., the existing plan was dated June 11, 1990 and is over 21 years old.
Jerry Loftus explained that DEP could require the township to update the plan, or, the township could initiate a revision of their existing plan voluntarily. “Showing a proactive approach to DEP will be to the township’s advantage,” he explained.
Supervisor Thomas Yerke agreed stating that “(wastewater) capacity is way up since the Industrial Park and the high school were built. If we reach capacity, it would limit future development.”
The cost of the plan was discussed but it can vary anywhere from $10,000 to $50,000 depending on the scope of the project. The board will consider its options and decide on whether or not to act on the plan sometime in the near future.
