Crafton moves ahead on C‑20 sewer separation, may seek easement via eminent domain

Crafton Borough officials said May 22 they plan to continue work on the C‑20 sewer separation project while pressing to secure an easement from a privately owned parcel in the City of Pittsburgh, and that they may ask Pittsburgh for a supporting resolution and, if necessary, pursue condemnation under the eminent‑domain process.

The project — estimated at about $410,000 — is partly funded by grant dollars Crafton expects to have reimbursed if the work is completed within the funder’s time window. Engineer Keenan told council the borough “has a $250,000 grant” and that the borough has “about $280,000 in ‘grama’ money from Alkassan” that apply to the work; the borough would need to make up the remainder if the reimbursement cannot be secured.

Why it matters: residents described repeated basement flooding at the low point where the sewer work is planned and urged the borough to keep moving so the problem does not worsen. Council members said they want a short…