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Township staff to seek DEP approval for emergency sewer hookup at Shauntz Farmhouse
Summary
Staff told the Board the Shauntz farmhouse’s septic system has failed and recommended installing a roughly 230‑ft grinder‑pump lateral to an on‑site manhole; estimated cost is about $38,000 and staff plan to submit a DEP planning module and seek board action at the second July meeting.
At the Lower Merion Township Board of Commissioners workshop on June 22, township staff recommended an emergency sanitary sewer connection for the Shauntz farmhouse at 3455 Brookside Road after its on‑lot septic system began malfunctioning.
"That septic tank has reached its useful lifespan and is now having malfunctions," Bruce, the staff presenter on the item, told the board and described a plan to install a grinder pump and roughly 230 feet of high‑pressure lateral to tie into an existing manhole on the community center campus. Bruce said the township has secured an allocation of daily flows from the Lehigh County Authority and identified a Co‑Stars contractor to perform the work.
Staff estimated the install at about $38,000 after obtaining multiple quotes and said they plan to file the Pennsylvania DEP sewage facility planning module immediately as an emergency submittal to avoid environmental exposure. "Because we are experiencing those components of a significant malfunction at this time, it's moved to the top of our project list," Bruce said.
Doug, who spoke about construction logistics, said crews anticipate roughly two days on site and that the occupant would likely be without service for only a few hours during the connection. He added that the work will require coordination to shut off and demo the original tank and bore the new low‑pressure/high‑pressure line.
Staff told the board they will return with formal documentation and are seeking a board action at the second July meeting to authorize moving the planning module forward and to award the work. No formal vote occurred at the workshop.
The board did not raise objections to treating the project as an emergency; staff said they will coordinate timing with the tenant and aim to minimize disruption.
Next steps: staff will submit the DEP planning module as an emergency submission, firm up contractor mobilization for July and bring a formal action item to the board for approval at the second meeting in July.
