HARRISBURG – Sen. Joe Pittman (R-41) and Reps. Jim Struzzi (R-62) and Brian Smith (R-66) announced more than $3.4 million in public infrastructure grants have been awarded to Indiana County communities for five local projects. These investments were approved by the Commonwealth Financing Authority (CFA) on December 19, 2023 in Harrisburg.
“Water and sewer projects are an essential part of maintaining the health and safety of our communities, but often come with a high cost,” Pittman said. “I’m pleased to have worked to ensure this state support will be invested locally and can help to assist with necessary improvements. This is a great day, as these projects will improve services to numerous Indiana County municipalities and local residents.”
Central Indiana County Joint Sanitary Authority is the recipient of $1.9 million in COVID-19 ARPA H2O PA (H2O PA) funds for sewer system improvements located in Center Township and Homer City Borough. Another $827,778 was awarded through the H2O PA grant program to Highridge Water for a waterline extension in Burrell Township.
A $390,150 grant was also awarded to the Central Indiana County Water Authority, through the COVID-19 ARPA PA Small Water and Sewer Program (SWS), to help fund a water line replacement project in Homer City Borough and Center Township.
“Water and sewer grants are investments in infrastructure that we must make on behalf of our local residents,” said Struzzi, who is also a member of the PENNVEST (Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority (PENNVEST) board. “While we wrote support letters to advocate for these projects, the credit for making them happen goes to the township supervisors and borough council members who initiate the grant application process.”
Additionally, a $289,000 SWS grant was awarded to Ernest Borough Stormwater Authority for its Second Street Storm Water project located in Ernest Borough.
“I’m thrilled that some of this funding is coming back to our district,” Smith said. “Infrastructure projects like this one in Ernest Borough are expensive, but you can’t put a price on the health and safety of our residents.”
In addition to the infrastructure grants, a $10,000 COVID-19 ARPA PA Arts and Culture Recovery Program (PACR) grant was awarded to the Pennsylvania Rural Arts for the Indiana Borough organization’s operating expenses. PACR was created to provide grants to Pennsylvania nonprofit arts and culture organizations, local arts and culture districts and arts and culture professionals to ensure the stability and recovery of the commonwealth’s arts and culture sector from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Established by the General Assembly in 2008, the H2O PA program provides for single-year and multi-year grants for the construction of drinking water, sanitary sewer and storm sewer projects; the construction or renovation of flood control projects; and the repair or rehabilitation of high-hazard unsafe dams.
The SWS Program provides grants for small water, sewer and storm water infrastructure projects. Municipalities and municipal authorities that own and maintain a public water supply, sanitary sewer or storm water systems are eligible to apply as long as their projects exceed a total cost of $30,000.
Media Contacts:
Kate Eckhart Flessner (Sen. Pittman)
Scott Little (Rep. Struzzi)
Jake Gillespie (Rep. Smith)