CMA Church Water Issues Continue To Plague Water Authority

Last year, the CMA Church presented a case to bring a water line extension to the church located in Williamsburg. Following their massive renovation, DEP (Department of Environmental Protection) now requires the church to be a public water source.

Church member Ben Postles attended the Municipal Authority meeting to discuss possible outcomes. Postles said the church is willing to donate funds and land to the project.

Clay Shriver of the Potted Memories Greenhouse said he too would like to see a water line extension out to his greenhouse business.

A year and a half ago, Stiffler McGraw engineer John Clabaugh presented some estimates about the water line extension project. Getting the line for the church would be an estimated $418,000. Getting the line for the church and greenhouse would be $700,000. Both properties and several residences in the area would be $918,000. Clabaugh said that those estimates would need to increase by at least 30 percent given the inflation costs now. The authority discussed meeting with PennVEST to discuss loan options or any grant funding, but Clabaugh told Authority that they (loan and grantors) “want to see a moving project just beyond this conceptual stage.”

“We’ve got to do something,” Postles said, and admitted that DEP was pursuing the church.

If no funding from authority happens, Postles said the church would probably need a third well, a licensed operator and water treatment on site. The authority decided to move by talking to the solicitor in regard to accepting money from the church. They will discuss the legality, update the cost estimates for the projects and set up a meeting with PennVEST.

SPUR INC. wanted to apply for a $1,000 grant on behalf of the authority for new tools. David Myers made the motion to apply for the grant. With Charles Bingham seconding, the motion passed.

The authority discussed boot allotment reimbursement for employees. Employees of the authority require safety toes and waterproof boots. Bingham made a motion for an annual $200 boot reimbursement for employees with Troy Everhart seconding. The motion passed.

Rails to Trails sent a letter to the authority asking for a yearly donation. Bingham made the motion to send a $250 donation to Rails to Trails with Daryl Cole seconding. The motion passed.