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Northampton County approves interlocal sewer agreement to add 240,000 gallons-per-day capacity
Summary
The Board approved an interlocal agreement with Orange Rapids Sanitary District that allocates 150,000 gpd to the River Road project and 90,000 gpd to Commerce Park, funded with DEQ and Golden Leaf grants; individual hookups remain the responsibility of property owners.
The Northampton County Board of Commissioners approved an interlocal agreement with the Orange Rapids Sanitary District that allocates 150,000 gallons per day (gpd) of sewer capacity to the River Road project and 90,000 gpd to the Commerce Park, county staff said at the meeting.
The agreement, presented to the board as a renewal and expansion of an existing contract, uses DEQ grant funds and Golden Leaf grant funds to cover infrastructure upgrades tied to the capacity allocation, County staff said. "All of these costs will be paid for using DEQ grant funds, as well as Golden Leaf grant funds," said Mister Bennett, Public Works Director.
The allocation is intended to extend sewer service west of I‑95 and provide sewer access to areas with failing septic systems, county staff told commissioners. The extension of the main line down Highway 46 will be paid for with grant money, but individuals who choose to hook up to the new force main will face separate, variable costs. "There will be a cost involved in that," Bennett said, noting factors such as pump size, holding tank size, distance from the road and the contractor chosen.
County staff said the sanitary district will charge treatment fees under its typical annual fee structure; the interlocal agreement does not change the county's sewer base rate, which staff noted in discussion is currently a $19 base charge plus $6 per 1,000 gallons under an increasing block rate. Drinking water is addressed in separate agreements, staff said.
The agreement term is 30 years with an option either party can exercise to terminate with 12 months' notice, staff said. County officials described the arrangement as legal protection for Northampton County while enabling residential, commercial and industrial wastewater service in areas that currently lack sewer infrastructure.
The board voted to approve the interlocal agreement. The motion carried.
Next steps noted by staff include coordinating infrastructure design and communicating hookup options and costs to residents; staff said education about individual hookup processes will be handled case by case and that property owners will contract privately with plumbers or contractors to connect to the new main line.
