Westmoreland municipal authority moves forward with water, sewer upgrades

More than $2 million in upgrades, including water line replacements in Murrysville, were approved Wednesday by the Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County.

The authority will spend more than $1.3 million to replace a water line on Murry Highlands Circle and McWilliams Road that serves about 50 customers. Officials said the new pipeline will replace cast iron water lines.

Board members also signed off on a $479,000 project to install iron pipe on Evergreen Road in Gilpin Township, an upgrade that officials said will impact about 40 customers.

Both projects are part of the capital improvement program financed through a $130 million loan in 2016.

The authority sells water to more than 122,000 customers in Westmoreland, Allegheny, Armstrong, Fayette and Indiana counties. It also operates sewer systems throughout the region that serves nearly 30,000 customers.

The agency announced Wednesday it spend about $117,000 to renovate its administrative building at the authority’s sewer plant in New Stanton. The facility was once part of the Hempfield sewer system that was purchased by the county agency in 2016.

Eight employees work at the New Stanton facility that services sewer customers in Hempfield, New Stanton and Youngwood.

Authority manager Michael Kukura said the existing structure was outmoded and featured one unisex bathroom. Upgrades include construction of separate locker rooms for men and women and renovated work spaces, he said.