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Consumptive Use Mitigation Grant 2024 Awardees

The Denver Borough in Lancaster County, PA, will use the grant funds to continue their work on the Advance Metering Infrastructure Implementation Program started in Phase 1. Phase 2 includes replacement of all touch-read and manual read water meters with 100 Advanced Leak Detection water meters. The project also includes purchasing and installing three Kamstrup AMI RF Collector Sets designed to collect and forward water meter data securely to the Borough on regular intervals to be used to identify suspected water leaks; to identify irregular water patterns; to improve billing accuracy for their customers; and to provide leak detection services to reduce the amount of unaccounted for water in the Borough’s water system. The Borough estimates saving 5 million gallons of water per year with the new infrastructure.

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The Borough of Freeland Municipal Authority in Luzerne County, PA, will use the grant funding to implement software with associated smart water meters and leak detectors to address the issue of water loss within their system which consists of aging infrastructure which is continually seeing increased maintenance needs. The software will allow the Authority to monitor their system, detect leaks, and reduce water loss to improve sustainability of service, which will significantly improve climate resilience. This project is located within an environmental justice community.

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Cargill Meat Solutions in Wyalusing, PA, will use the grant award to collect condensate from their rendering process facility and return it to the hot water tank, which feeds the boiler system. This will remove the need for softened water to cool the condensate, thereby reducing the amount of water withdrawn from water wells at the plant (a savings of 30 million gallons per year). Other benefits include reducing the amount of energy used to boil water and reducing the amount of salt and chemicals used per year.

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The City of Baltimore in MD will use the grant funding for a drought management plan that will incorporate forecast-based triggers for mitigation actions. The plan will be supported by the Commission’s OASIS model to enable dynamic implementation of actions during future low flow periods. Model analyses will help the City and the Commission better understand the trade-offs among objectives, including water supply reliability, water quality, energy and treatment costs, and environmental and ecological objectives. Environmental justice communities in the area will be involved with development of the plan through outreach, education, and community engagement to support water conservation.

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The Kline Township Municipal Authority, Schuylkill County, PA, will use the grant award to increase detection of leaking service lines and water mains. The Authority will purchase 100 AMR meters and 25 AMI acoustic leak detection meters to install in the remaining Well 5 service area (McAdoo Heights and Haddock). The meter software and hardware will allow the Authority to see pipe bursts through error message notifications (excessive quantity going through meters on the private side) and also see acoustic sound waves indicating breaks or leaks out at the public water main, especially during the freeze/thaw cycle) when multiple breaks are seen on a weekly basis. This year’s grant funding will supplement the work already started in the previous grant years 2022 and 2023.

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Lancaster Farmland Trust will use the grant funding to preserve the J. Miller farm in Little Britain Township, Lancaster County, PA, through a conservation easement, which will protect the farmland in perpetuity and safeguard the land’s impervious surface for groundwater recharge forever. They will lead a conservation project for the operation, implementing several agricultural BMPs that will reduce nitrogen, phosphorus and sediment (annually 1,955 pounds, 885 pounds, and 236 pounds, respectively) flowing into the Little Conowingo Creek (closely adjacent to the Commission’s Octoraro Creek Priority Watershed) and improve water quality in the Susquehanna River Basin and the Chesapeake Bay.

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The Lewistown Country Club in Mifflin County, PA, will use the grant funding for a project that will encompass part of a new irrigation system (that is estimated to save 1 million gallons per year), turf to meadow conversion, and the design and permitting of urban BMPs at the Club’s entrance. In the past six years, the Club has begun converting its campus into a more environmentally-friendly landscape by reducing its mowed lawn area and converting 19.2 acres to conservation landscaping and restored native meadows. This project will reduce urban stormwater pollution, restore the unnamed tributaries flowing through the course, and support stewardship of the Juniata River.

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Londonderry Township will use the grant funds for Phase 4 of the Conewago Creek Stream Restoration project. The Conewago Creek Watershed is a 53-square mile impaired watershed that includes areas in Dauphin, Lancaster, and Lebanon Counties in southcentral PA. The Township has successfully completed Phases 1-3 of the restoration efforts which included 4,960 linear feet of full floodplain restoration along Conewago Creek and its tributary, Brills Run. Phase 4 will consist of the same project tasks along an approximately 2,150 linear foot stream segment upstream of the original phases. This project will lead to further quantifiable improvements to water quality, promote enhanced ecosystem resiliency during low flow periods, and support increased groundwater recharge in the watershed. The completed project is also calculated to reduce 1,518,935 pounds/year of sediment, 3,489 pounds/year of phosphorus, and 10,372 pounds/year of nitrogen. The scope of this project not only aligns with the Commission’s Consumptive Use Mitigation Policy, but also supports the goals of the existing TMDL and Watershed Implementation Plan through PADEP.

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Lower Paxton Township, the most populous municipality in Dauphin County, PA, will use the grant award for a stormwater basin retrofit project at their public works building, which will mitigate consumptive use and enhance drought resilience within the township, Nyes Run, Swatara Creek, and the Susquehanna River Basin. The project will also include construction of a sediment forebay to reduce sediment flowing into the basin. By enhancing groundwater recharge, reducing runoff, and improving the filtration and purification of stormwater, the project aligns with the goals of sustainable water resource management and environmental protection in the basin. The project will also focus on bioretention techniques such as using amended soils and native plant species, minimizing land clearing and grading, and preserving the natural landscape, which are all essential for natural water absorption and retention and will contribute to a natural and efficient method of water management.

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Lycoming County Water and Sewer Authority is an independent operating authority (water, wastewater and stormwater) that owns, operates, maintains, and manages permitted public systems throughout Lycoming County, PA. The Authority will use the grant funds to migrate their water meter reading equipment to Advanced Metering Infrastructure with smart meters in addition to the installation of acoustic leak detection equipment, which will allow them to monitor water usage and detect leaks with reliability, speed, and accuracy, thereby conserving water and increasing climate resiliency.

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Manchester Township will use the grant funding for an innovative public/private partnership project involving 3 sites in the Codorus Creek Watershed in York County, PA. The partnership has developed a 3-phase strategy for climate resiliency that will enhance water quality, mitigate flooding, and restore a degraded stream. The project will improve the site(s) hydrology by reducing the discharge of stormwater and creating infiltration areas in restored basins. Hydrology improvements will be achieved by constructing stormwater basin retrofits, installing a riparian buffer to improve water quality and wildlife habitat, and completing final design and permitting for a stream and flood plain restoration project. The project is in the Lower Susquehanna River Basin which is the highest consumptive use area in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. The Codorus Creek is identified as a priority watershed by both the Commission and York County’s Act 167 Plan and the countywide Pollutant Reduction Plan. This project is located within an environmental justice community.

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The City of Elmira, NY, will use the grant award to replace the aging irrigation system in disrepair at their Mark Twain 18-Hole Golf Course. The new irrigation system is expected to minimally use 15% less water per year (or 37,000 gallons per irrigation cycle), eliminate breaks and leaks, and reduce runoff through better control of the applied water. The system will include new HDPE pipe, new sprinklers, 2-wire technology, tipping bucket rain sensors, new wiring, and individual sprinkler controls. These improvements will help respond quickly to water demand changes during droughts or water use restrictions.

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The Montgomery Water Authority provides potable water for Montgomery Borough and portions of Clinton and Brady Townships in Lycoming County, PA. The Authority will use the grant funding to produce a specific location map of leaks within the water distribution system, which will allow for targeted repairs, and reduce the daily water usage. The project is estimated to save 22 million gallons of water per year. This project is located within an environmental justice community.

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Northcentral Pennsylvania Conservancy will use the grant funds in the Spring Creek Watershed in Centre County, PA, for a large-scale project that will help to substantially increase watershed resiliency by reducing the impacts of urbanization through increased infiltration/groundwater recharge, improved instream and riparian habitats, wetland reconnection, and approximate reductions of sediment (400,000 pounds), nitrogen (600 pounds), and phosphorus (320 pounds) per year. The project is also expected to increase the wild brown trout populations to similar levels as nearby reaches with better habitat which will increase recreational angling and public enjoyment.

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The Northern Cambria Municipal Authority serves Northern Cambria Borough and portions of the neighboring Barr and Susquehanna Townships, PA. The Authority has been experiencing severe water loss for over 10 years. They will use the grant funds to procure GIS update services from Stiffler McGraw & Associates to enter into the Diamond Maps GIS database of their water system. They will also procure a satellite scan of its water main system from ASTERRA to assist with locating the potential leaks in the system. Utilizing the results of the satellite scans will assist in identification of the water loss sources and provide necessary locations of infrastructure problems to correct. The Authority estimates that this investment will reduce annual water use by 53 million gallons per year, at a rate of $159,000 per year. This project is located within an environmental justice community.

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The Lawrence Baker Sheppard (LBS) Dam Intake Tower Improvements Project will increase the ability of Hanover Borough in PA to manage Long Arm Reservoir. The current intake tower sluice gates are damaged, so installing new ones will allow the Borough to quickly respond during rain events, improving safety while increasing capture, and allow them to more precisely control the outflow during dry periods. These improvements will smooth the water inflow, allowing for a consistent supply of safe drinking water to be provided to the Borough, and support the downstream water quality and recreational activities as well. This grant funding will also reduce future rate increases for the users of the Hanover Borough Public Water System, which is located in a potentially stressed area and environmental justice community.

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The Town of Oneonta, Otsego County, NY, will use the grant funds to replace aging, inefficient water meters in 2 districts within the Town with central-read capable meters. The new meters will have the capability to be read continuously from a central location and the data will be used to track usage and find leaks. Replacing the old meters advances strategic community investment by ensuring that the existing infrastructure can be properly maintained to ensure the water systems remain functional and sustainable for the foreseeable future. This project is located within an environmental justice community.

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The Town of Perryville, Cecil County, MD, will use the grant funds to replace 100 outdated portable analog meters with a new advanced metering infrastructure and digital electronic radio meters in residential premises. The new interactive meters will provide real-time figures for effective water use monitoring and significantly reduce leakages and wastage. This results in an approximate reduction of between 15-20% consumption and leak-related loss of 10-15%. This will ensure high metering accuracy rates of between 98-99%, help improve drought management, and provide better water quality monitoring. The project supports improving Perryville's ability to manage their resources when faced with a drought. It also provides advantages of cost savings, customer satisfaction service delivery system, operational resilience and community engagement in sustainable water usage.

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Located in Steuben County, NY, the Town of Prattsburgh provides potable water to a small rural community of approximately 302 properties and 262 service connections. The town’s current water metering system is outdated and no longer supported by the equipment vendor and only allows the Town to manually collect data every three months. Prattsburgh will use the grant funds to install 162 updated radio read meters and associated meter reading equipment on all service connections to allow the water system to reduce their consumptive water use by adding the ability to quickly identify and address high water use and service line breaks. This project is located within an environmental justice community.

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The Doc Fritchey Chapter of Trout Unlimited will use the grant funding to design and construct three legacy sediment removal projects in the Hammer Creek Watershed in Lebanon County, PA, at Historic Schaefferstown, the Heisey Farm, and Hammer Creek Estates. Goals encompass groundwater recharge, habitat enhancement, erosion mitigation, nutrient processing, flood management, recreational areas, and outreach/education. The combined effort restores 17 acres of connected floodplains and wetlands, 8,225 feet of headwater stream and improves groundwater recharge by 6,312,216 gallons per year. Cumulatively, the projects will reduce watershed nitrogen load by 455 pounds per year, phosphorus load by 413 pounds per year, and sediment load by 136 tons annually.

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Veolia Water NY, Inc. serves the Village of Owego, NY, dates to the turn of the century, and loses nearly 54.304 million gallons per year or 25% of total groundwater withdrawn/produced. Veolia will use the grant funds to purchase and install leak detection sensors on 100 fire hydrants and on 15 valve boxes strategically spaced throughout the water system. This will identify leaks and poor pipe sections through the integral remote monitoring system so they can be repaired. The project is expected to reduce unaccounted for water from 54 million gallons per year (25%) to a goal of 22 million gallons per year (10%). The project area supplied by this water system is fully within a designated disadvantaged community and there is an environmental justice area within the water system boundaries.

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The Village of Johnson City, NY, will use the grant funds to install 35 retrofitted fire hydrants, 2 new hydrants, and cloud management software to manage the system. This should decrease the amount of water lost anywhere from 40–50% over the first year of implementation, efficiently find and repair water main leaks, and improve overall efficiency. The quantifiable water savings can be equated to approximately 3 million gallons per year with an approximate $10,000 in chlorine savings and additional labor and equipment costs. The Village encompasses 4 potential environmental justice areas.

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The Village of Sidney, NY, will use the grant funding to replace aging, inefficient water service meters on commercial, industrial, and institutional users. The project will also replace several inoperable water valves within the distribution system enabling the Village to isolate water mains to repair leaks and identify anomalies in usage to avoid losing water and improve the resilience of the groundwater supply. This project is part of a larger water system improvements project that will ultimately increase the resiliency and sustainability of the water system by improving or replacing existing infrastructure, ensuring safe and reliable drinking water for the entire community. Approximately 1/3 of the water system customers are within an environmental justice area.

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The Wellsboro Borough Municipal Authority in Wellsboro, PA, owns Hamilton Lake on which Hamilton Dam resides. The dam has been used for a water source, flood control, and recreational uses since its construction in 1967 by USDA-NRCS, also a current project partner. The grant funding will be used for necessary dam safety improvements required to meet current regulations in order for the facility to serve for at least another 50 years. In addition to the structural improvements, the project will provide additional water storage capability and install a dedicated low flow release to better comply with permit requirements. The water supply storage will be increased from 333.92 acre-feet to 414.65 acre-feet by raising permanent pool elevation two feet in elevation. The permanent pool increase will also provide an additional 3.4 acres of habitat. Hamilton Lake typically provides additional water needed to the community during drought so the extra storage will improve drought resiliency.

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West Sadsbury Township in Chester County, PA, will use the grant funds for a restoration project on Officers Run at Strasburg Road in the Octoraro Creek Watershed. The project will create a low, flat streambank and floodplain bench that allows increased stream flows to access the floodplain and surrounding wetland areas, dissipating potentially erosive energy and encouraging infiltration. The resulting stabilized system with a functional floodplain will provide water quality and quantity benefits such as enhanced groundwater recharge; nutrient and sediment load reduction; reduced erosion and flooding issues; and ecological uplift.

*Declined funding

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The Western Pennsylvania Conservancy will use the grant funds to acquire approximately 126 acres of land along the West Branch Susquehanna River in Cambria County, PA and complete subsequent reforestation of approximately 57 acres of the property consisting of reclaimed mine land. WPC will work with the Northern Cambria Borough, the Cambria County Conservation District, Trout Unlimited, and Bosland Growth to establish a public river access for fishing on the property. Water quantity benefits will include enhanced water retention, reduced demand during low flow periods, and natural water filtration. Water quality outcomes include showcasing the positive effects of the Lancashire 15 AMD Treatment Plant and restoration efforts that target pollutant reduction, ecological restoration efforts that focus on repairing riparian areas and streams, and improved water quality. This project is located within an environmental justice community.

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The York County Rail Trail Authority will use the grant funding to restore a section of Oil Creek, a tributary of Codorus Creek in York County, PA, specifically for construction of Site A Phase 2, which is part of a bigger restoration project. The Commission identifies the Codorus Creek area as a priority watershed and the Hanover area a potentially stressed area. The project will provide increased infiltration and aquifer recharge; improve local and regional water quality; improve stormwater/floodwater retention and drainage; protect the future trail corridor; and provide benefits to landowners. The project will result in approximately 5 acres of wetland restoration; 2,211 linear feet of stream and floodplain restoration; the removal of approximately 38,244 cubic yards of legacy sediment; and estimated annual nutrient and sediment load reductions of about 99,230 pounds/year of sediment, 166 pounds/year of nitrogen, and 150 pounds/year of phosphorus. Hanover is designated as an environmental justice area.