Funding is being sought for a nearly $350,000 water line improvement project in Salisbury Township.

The South Potomac Street Water Line Replacement project would replace about 3,500 feet of a 64-year-old cast iron pipe with PVC pipe. The pipe is believed to have been installed in 1950.

The pipe replacement project, extending from East Susquehanna Street to East Emmaus Avenue, is expected to begin in January 2015.

The township would pay 10 percent of the cost, or about $34,000, with Lehigh County paying, about $312,000 of the estimated $346,750 project.

The Salisbury Township Board of Commissioners voted 4-0, with one commissioner absent, at the April 10 township meeting to authorize Township Manager Randy Soriano to apply for a Community Development Block Grant from Lehigh County for the project. Commissioner Joanne Ackerman made the motion, with Commissioner James Seagreaves seconding the motion.

"This is a new water line that is going to be put in place," Soriano explained prior to the vote.

Soriano told commissioners about $1.4 million in CDBG funds is available. A township commissioner approved resolution is required for the application, which was due April 14..

"Depending on the number of applications, we could fare well," Soriano said.

"We could qualify under the program," Soriano said. The program is for areas where 48 percent of the residents are of lower to moderate income. Soriano said in the South Potomac Street area, 44.8 percent of the residents are of low to moderate income.

Soriano said he, Salisbury Township Public Works Director John Andreas and Salisbury Township Consulting Engineer David J. Tettemer of Keystone Consulting Engineers, Inc., look at the census information to determine the grant use should it be approved.

"It's really critical to keep that [South Potomac Street Water Line] in service,"Soriano said.

"This is something that John [Andreas} has been wanting to do for years," Tettemer said.

"This [South Potomac Water Line] has been part of our 10-year plan for capital improvements," Andreas said.

"Is it essential?" Commissioner Joanne Ackerman asked.

"Yes," Tettemer replied.

Soriano noted previously an approximate $200,000 CDBG grant was used for a Public Road sewer line project.