CEO Liesel Gross asked the audience to imagine a day without water. What would it look like? Think about the amount of water you use to prepare for your day including showering, brushing your teeth, flushing the toilet, preparing meals. Think about the jobs that utilize water. Could you manage a day without water?

Gross and her colleagues from the Lehigh County Authority promoted their Act 537 Plan at an open house for Kline’s Island Sewer System Oct. 29 at the Lower Macungie Township Community Center. Approximately 26 residents participated in the event which included five stations of information guided by LCA employees. The event included a short slideshow presentation and a question-and-answer session.

KISS is the regional wastewater system serving Allentown and 14 other communities in Lehigh County including Lower Macungie, Salisbury and Upper Milford townships and Alburtis and Emmaus boroughs. It serves approximately 270,000 people with 32 million gallons of water daily. KISS protects public health and the environment by making sure no raw sewage enters the water system.

The major issue for KISS is the system was installed in 1928 and this aging system is approaching the century mark. The aging pipes span over 1,000 miles and need to be replaced.

According to Gross, trying to get 15 municipalities to agree to move forward on this plan has not been an easy task. For example, while Lower Macungie Township owns its own pipes, the pipes are connected to LCA. There are numerous complexities involved when dealing with 15 municipalities. Numerous challenges are involved in this plan that includes the aging infrastructure, the size of the infrastructure, connection capacity and more regulatory oversight.

The Act 537 Plan hopes to fix a major issue involving excessive rainfall adding to groundwater which can overflow from the existing or damaged pipes causing sewage to mix with water. The overflow can be released through manholes, basements and sump pumps and could end up being sent back into the water system.

This is a major concern to public health and the environment. While during our current drought stage this might not be alarming, but when a series of storms force the overflowing of the pipes the result can be damaging to the environment and health of residents.

When participants arrived at this event, each received a reusable bag with valuable information about LCA, KISS, frequently asked questions and a glossary of terms to be informed about the progress of the Act 537 Plan. Participants had time to visit each station and speak with employees of LCA.

Station 1 asked for public input about tconcerns. Most of the participants at this event listed concerns for how this plan will be funded and how this will impact their water bills.

Station 2 involved information about LCA and the areas serviced.

Station 3 depicted the rehab work, challenges, interceptors, plant work and a summary of improvements which are estimated to cost between $249-$318 million.

Station 4 displayed the inflow and infiltration concerns. One board specifically displayed tree roots, fats, oils and grease as well as “flushable” wipes that can cause back ups in homes and require costly repairs.

Station 5 focused on how the Act 537 Plan will be financed.

From now through 2035, approximately $80-100 million will be spent on sewer rehab. From now through 2035, $70-90 million will be spent on KISS. By 2030, $23-30 million will be spent on KISS relief and interceptor. After 2030, $76-98 million is projected for western relief interceptor resulting in the estimate of $249-318 million.

Other municipal interceptors and pretreatment estimates are to be determined.

The planning phase of the Act 537 Plan began in 2019 and ended in 2023. This was a collaboration of the 15 municipalities with 2023 spent developing solutions and 2024 used to gather public input through open houses such as this.

The approval process will take place in 2025 as well as the Act 537 Plan will be submitted to the Department of Environmental Protection. The plan will be implemented from 2026-2035 and is described as the “largest investment of municipalities to protect the environment and public health,” according to Gross.

The time for public input is now. Residents who have not participated in one of these open houses can contact LCA at 610-398-2503, ext. 164 or communicate via email at KISS537@lehighcountyauthority.org to voice their concerns.

One of the first questions posed at this open house regarded the financing of this project. Who will be responsible for issues found with the pipes, the homeowner, the township, LCA? How would a resident even know if upgrades or repairs are needed?

In Lehigh County, responsibility ends at the curb line. Homeowners are responsible for issues from the home to the curb. Beyond the curb, it becomes an issue for the township. Small grants are possible for sewer lateral repairs for homeowners. Another resident suggested realtors should be working with LCA on this issue.

For buyers and sellers of homes, questions need to be asked such as who will be paying for the repairs or upgrades needed. In Lower Macungie Township, laterals need to be inspected and the buyer and seller need to agree as to who will be responsible for paying for it. These are local decisions for municipalities.

A second question focused on cleaning interior plumbing from house to street. Residents are encouraged to have plumbers check laterals if you are having work done. Plumbers or residents can also contact the township to explain issues and the township can check out the concern to determine if a lateral line is defective. Residents should ask plumbers for any information regarding clues about what was seen regarding the problem such as tree roots.

A third question concerned the growing development in Lower Macungie and surrounding areas. Is the Act 537 Plan taking into account that many of these areas are no longer supporting individual homes but rather warehouses and high density apartments? How many new connections can be supported with this new plan? While the regional approach has managed to unite the 15 municipalities, future communities will need to be supported by this plan.

LCA described its biggest risk as large industrial users. The township will need to make sure any future development can be supported by this new pipeline. If not, then they will need to develop an alternate plan. Numerous engineering firms and consultants are vital to creating a comprehensive plan for the public. The information provided to the participants is informative and comprehensible.

Another question inquired about the thousand miles of pipes being replaced. Priority areas will be addressed first but not all rehab of the pipes demands excavation. This question led to an additional question about the Federal Infrastructure Act which funds clean water projects such as the Act 537 Plan. LCA will need to apply for this grant and they are trying to sequence the projects to align with grant opportunities to continue to keep the costs down for residents and townships.

The final question posed concerned the “50-year lease agreement” between the LCA and the City of Allentown. What happens in the 51st year? After the 15 municipalities pay for all these KISS upgrades, can the City of Allentown now say they no longer are going to lease to LCA? According to Gross, there are systems in place to prevent this from happening. When the City of Allentown needed money, LCA paid $220 million to get access to the 50-year lease working as a nonprofit. The city got its money and LCA got the lease. Residents were told that since the 1950s and 1960s a system has been in place to prevent this from happening.

The LCA encourages public input this year as this plan enters the next stage of its implementation. Waiting until you see changes in your water bill will be too late. The time is now for you to become informed about this plan. You can call or email the LCA using the information provided in this article.