131ST DISTRICT

Rep. Justin Simmons, R-131st, recently announced the award of a $260,000 state grant for a sewage system improvement project in Emmaus.

Simmons helped secure the funding through the Department of Community and Economic Development’s small water and sewer grant program.

Specifically, the grant will be used by Emmaus Borough to repair 100 severely damaged manholes and correct an inflow problem discovered through inspections. The borough is working to comply with an administrative order from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to separate stormwater from the sewage system, which flows to the Allentown Sewage Treatment Plant.

The total project cost is $371,600.

The funding was approved and awarded by the Commonwealth Financing Authority, which was established as an independent agency that holds fiduciary responsibility over the funding of programs and investments in Pennsylvania’s economic growth.