Salisbury Township has received $1 million in state and federal funds for infrastructure improvements.

The two grants, which total $1,051,000, were announced at the Jan. 11 Salisbury Township Board of Commissioners’ meeting.

Board of commissioners’ President Debra Brinton said she was “delighted” by the grants announcement. Her fellow commissioners also lauded the grants.

Salisbury was awarded $660,000 from the COVID-19 American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 H2O PA grant fund for sewer system rehabilitation work in the Meadowbrook area.

The grant requires a 50 percent match from the township.

The amount of the township match is included in the 2024 township budget, Salisbury Township Manager Cathy Bonaskiewich stated in a Jan. 12 email in response to a question from a reporter for The Press.

Salisbury was awarded $391,000 from the COVID-19 ARPA PA Small Water and Sewer grant fund for water main replacement in the Meadowbrook area.

The grant requires a 15 percent match from the township.

The amount of the township match is included in the 2024 township budget, Bonaskiewich stated in the email.

“No separate vote is needed. We’ve included the funds in the 2024 budget and they [township commissioners] already voted on that,” Bonaskiewich said.

Keystone Consulting Engineers, Inc, wrote and submitted the grants in December 2022 on behalf of the township, Bonaskiewich noted.

According to Bonaskiewich, the proposed sewer repair/rehabilitation projects include dig repairs/replacement in the Meadowbrook service area.

The project will target repairs of cracked and broken sewer mains, more than 1,300 total feet, in 20 locations which are likely experiencing stormwater infiltration during rain.

The manhole rehabilitation project will focus on the restoration of approximately 275 manholes with various repair options to prevent rainwater infiltration into the sanitary sewer system.

The remainder of the budget is comprised of mobilization, erosion and sedimentation control, traffic protection and lawn restoration.

Bonaskiewich said the second grant is for replacement of the existing water main in Louise Lane and Louise Court, also in the Meadowbrook service area.

The project is for replacement of approximately 1,300 feet of existing cast iron water main, part of an aging system which is likely experiencing water system losses in a sinkhole-prone area and a record of numerous system repairs.

The replacement with a more modern and durable ductile iron pipe and appurtenances will ensure more consistent reliability to township customers in the service area.

The remainder of the budget is comprised of mobilization, erosion and sedimentation control, traffic protection and lawn restoration.

Under the federal ARPA, $6.15 billion was set aside for Pennsylvania counties, cities, boroughs and townships to support COVID-19 response efforts, replace lost revenue, support economic stabilization for households and businesses and address systemic public health and economic challenges.

The H2O PA Act was established by the Pennsylvania General Assembly in July 2008. The act provides for single-year or multiyear grants to municipalities or municipal authorities to assist with construction of drinking water, sanitary sewer and stormwater projects.

The General Assembly Act 54 of 2022 appropriated $205.4 million of ARPA funds to the H2O PA water supply, sanitary sewer and stormwater projects program.

The grants are administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development.

The Jan. 10 township zoning hearing board meeting was canceled.

The Jan. 24 township planning commission meeting is canceled.

The township board of commissioners is scheduled to meet 7 p.m. Jan. 25 in the municipal building, 2900 S. Pike Ave.