Pennsylvania DEP approves plan to fix sewer overflows in Johnstown

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) recently announced that it has approved the City of Johnstown’s Sanitary Sewer Overflow (SSO) Abatement Plan, which was created as per the terms of a July 2010 Consent Order and Agreement.

The plan will work to relieve overload conditions in the city’s sewer system, which trigger overflows during heavy rains when extra water seeps in via leaking pipes and deteriorated connections. This added burden to the system forces bypasses that dump raw sewage into waterways, a violation of federal and state regulations.

“Johnstown is to be commended for devising a storm water control plan that will serve the city and surrounding communities for years to come,” DEP Southwest Regional Director Susan Malone said. “Eliminating sewer overflow is one of the best ways to ensure clean water for the people of Johnstown and their neighbors downstream.”

The Johnstown plan will see improvements for both the city system and that operated by the Johnstown Redevelopment Authority, including the refurbishment of some sections and complete rebuilds on others. Construction will be completed by Nov. 30, 2022, and all SSOs are expected to be prevented by Dec. 31 of that year.