17290_Authority_February_2024

50 The Authority | FEBRUARY 2024 M e m b e r S p o t l i g h t Mount Pocono Municipal Authority Awarded Funding Through Collaboration, Communication, and Cooperative Efforts By Jonathan Klotz, Executive Director, Mount Pocono Municipal Authority On December 19, 2023, Mount Pocono Municipal Authority (MPMA) was officially notified that it was a recipient of two (2) grant awards from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania through the Covid-19 ARPA Programs. MPMA worked diligently with State Representative (D-115) Maureen Madden and State Senator (D-40) Rosemary Brown to assist in advocating for the Authority. Their offices were more than accommodating and engaged with the proposed projects. These awards will help ensure sustainability and operational optimization for years to come. The first portion of the awarded grants was awarded through the PA Small System Water and Sewer Program . This program is in place for small water, sewer, and storm water infrastructure projects. Act 54 of 2022 appropriated $105.6 million of American Rescue Plan Act funds to the PA Small Water and Sewer Program. Mount Pocono Municipal Authority’s award was in the amount of $124,350.00. The awarded funds will be utilized to vastly improve the MPMA chilled water pumps and utility water system. The MPMA effluent cooling system is used 15-16 weeks per year. However, that system consumes 31-33% of the total yearly operating budget. One of the larger expenses of that budget is pump maintenance and repair. The awarded funds are going to be used to purchase oxidization proof pumps and replumb valve sets for the pumps. The total project cost for this upgrade is $138,550.00. This award will provide an immediate return of investment to MPMA and its clients. The project will most importantly add to working conditions and improve safety risk factors for the MPMA staff. The larger award was given through the PA H2O Program . The H2O PA Act was established by the General Assembly in July 2008. The Act provides for single-year or multi-year grants to municipalities or municipal authorities to assist with the construction of drinking water, sanitary sewer and storm water projects. Act 54 of 2022 appropriated $205.4 million of American Rescue Plan Act funds to the H2O PA – Water Supply, Sanitary Sewer and Storm Water Projects Program. The amount of the award given to MPMA was in the amount of $565,025.00. The funds will be utilized in assisting the design, construction, installation, and implementation of a solids handling system. Total project cost is estimated at $1,220,000.00. The current solids produced from the plant are hauled for incineration, roughly 30,000 gallons per week at 2-2.25% solid. Significant dewatering of municipal waste sludge will have numerous, extensive impacts to rates, environment, and process work. When implemented the sludge processing unit will provide significantly fewer hauling costs to the Municipal Authority and its clients. The reduction of hauling will also significantly reduce MPMA’s carbon footprint. The finalized product will provide relief to future increases to MPMA’s sludge removal budget while providing a significant improvement to the environment. “Mount Pocono Municipal Authority expresses immense gratitude to Pennsylvania DCED, Senator Brown, Representative Madden, and all their respective offices. The collaboration, communication, and cooperative efforts to support MPMA and our people needs to be stated. We cannot thank the aforementioned entities enough. The two awards will continue to enhance successes in MPMA’s mission to provide the highest quality of sanitary sewer service to our clients and environment,” said Executive Director, Jonathan Klotz. Klotz continued by stating, “with the generous grant amounts provided to MPMA, we will be able execute projects that will be economically and environmentally advantageous to our community and region.” S