The annual grants are awarded through Act 537, the Pennsylvania Sewage Facilities Act, which authorizes the Department of Environmental Protection to reimburse local governments for a percentage of the annual costs incurred in assuring that new and repaired on-lot systems are properly sited, designed, permitted and inspected.

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“More than half of Pennsylvania’s residents rely on wells and groundwater for drinking water, so it is vitally important that we give local government the support to protect these resources through sewage Enforcement Grants,” Governor Rendell said. “We worked with the legislature to continue funding this program, but we also encourage municipalities to consider following the successful models of other local agencies and attempt to recover additional program costs, perhaps even the full cost of administering the program, through increased permit fees.”

Act 537 requires municipalities, either individually or as members of multi-municipal sewage agencies, to enforce on-lot sewage system requirements, including evaluating and permitting new systems, properly repairing malfunctioning systems, and investigating complaints in a timely manner. These duties are carried out by sewage enforcement officers, who must pass a state-administered test in order to receive certification from a state board.

Act 537 authorizes DEP to reimburse up to 85 percent of the remaining local share. The department is currently providing reimbursements that are approximately 60 percent lower than in previous years due to economic conditions. Under reductions in the 2009-10 budget, the department will reimburse applicants at 42.5 percent of their eligible costs.

Malfunctioning sewer systems are one of the prime causes of waterborne disease. There are more than one million on-lot septic systems in Pennsylvania serving an estimated 3.7 million people.

For more information, visit www.dep.state.pa.us, keyword: DEP Act 537.

Media contacts: Tom Rathbun, DEP; 717-787-1323

Michael Smith, Governor’s Office; 717-783-1116

Editor’s Note: The following is a listing, by county, of the $2,184,979.09 in sewage enforcement grants awarded by DEP:

ADAMS COUNTY Berwick Township -- $343.23 Franklin Township -- 4,283.39

Freedom Township -- $425.18 Hamilton Township -- $557.77 Hamiltonban Township -- $1,155.11 Highland Township -- $952.80 Latimore Township – $654.50 Mount Pleasant Township -- $1,635.06 Straban Township -- $1,396.66 Union Township -- $1,229.25

ALLEGHENY COUNTY

Allegheny County Health Department -- $26,568.10

ARMSTRONG COUNTY

Armstrong County Sewage Enforcement Agency -- $30,424.56

BEAVER COUNTY

Greene Township -- $1,220.96 Marion Township -- $324.41 Potter Township -- $874.75

BEDFORD COUNTY

Bedford County Township and Borough Sanitary Corp. -- $66,161.23 Juniata Township -- $902.38 South Woodbury Township -- $3,240.63 Woodbury Township -- $881.88

BERKS COUNTY

Amity Township -- $9,109.79 Bern Township -- $1,452.47 Bethel Township – $203.58 Brecknock Township -- $3,565.57 Caernarvon Township -- $3,061.17 Centre Township -- $291.66 Cumru Township -- $1,617.80 Earl Township -- $2,362.91 Exeter Township -- $1,811.69 Greenwich Township -- $2,409.31 Hamburg Borough -- $35.25 Heidelberg Township -- $2,039.93 Hereford Township -- $2,950.70 Jefferson Township -- $368.79 Lower Alsace Township -- $1,188.96 Maidencreek Township -- $890.50 Mohnton Borough -- $44.57 North Heidelberg Township -- $1,059.84 Pike Township -- $2,142.26 Richmond Township -- $1,337.26 Robeson Township -- $5,772.46 Ruscombmanor Township -- $3,462.50 South Heidelberg Township -- $3,343.26 Upper Bern Township -- $3,776.07 Upper Tulpehocken Township -- $565.04 Washington Township -- $1,187.30

BLAIR COUNTY

Blair County Sanitary Administrative Committee -- $50,605.75

BRADFORD COUNTY

Bradford County Sanitation Committee -- $94,586.47

BUCKS COUNTY

Bucks County Health Department -- $118,980.20

BUTLER COUNTY

Adams Township -- $1,189.53 Butler County Sewage Association -- $95,233.22 Clinton Township -- $2,478.35 Middlesex Township -- $1,578.42 Penn Township -- $4,169.26 Winfield Township -- $1,637.08

CAMBRIA COUNTY

Cambria County Sewage Enforcement Agency -- $42,332.34 Grove Township -- $390.64

CAMERON COUNTY

Shippen Township -- $345.49

CARBON COUNTY

Banks Township -- $63.75 Kidder Township -- $8,034.72 Lausanne Township -- $308.13 Lehigh Township -- $142.38 Mahoning Township -- $1,728.11 Packer Township -- $918

CENTRE COUNTY

Benner Township -- $632.61 Boggs Township -- $497.67 Centre Region Code Administration -- $2,350.62 College Township -- $495.13 Curtin Township -- $391 Haines Township -- $1,488.14 Harris Township -- $1,588.05 Millheim Borouigh -- $140.25 Spring Township -- $440.30

CHESTER COUNTY

Chester County Commissioners -- $465,714.58

CLARION COUNTY

Clarion County Sewage Association -- $35,608.59

CLEARFIELD COUNTY

Clearfield County Sewage Committee -- $8,728.19 Sandy Township -- $1,574.64

CLINTON COUNTY

Bald Eagle Township -- $558.88 Colebrook Township -- $340 East Keating Township -- $102 Pine Creek Township -- $53.13 Porter Township -- $170 Wayne Township -- $382.50

COLUMBIA COUNTY

Beaver Township -- $1,469.44 Briar Creek Township -- $1,630.89 Columbia County Sanitary Administration Committee -- $39,242.44

CRAWFORD COUNTY

Hayfield Township -- $603.86 Spring Township -- $240.86 Troy Township -- $259.25 Vernon Township -- $347.84

CUMBERLAND COUNTY

East Pennsboro Township -- $2,591.97 Lower Frankford Township -- $229.50 Monroe Township -- $2,351.44 North Newton Township -- $698.85 Penn Township -- $698.85 Upper Mifflin Township -- $1,351.20 West Pennsboro Township -- $3,410.69

DAUPHIN COUNTY

Lower Paxton Township -- $78.63 Middle Paxton Township – $1,448.40 South Hanover Township -- $873.80

DELAWARE COUNTY

Thornbury Township -- $850

ELK COUNTY

Benezette Township -- $847.59 Fox Township -- $398.91 Highland Township -- $224.26 Jay Township -- $250.94 Ridgway Township -- $483.92 Spring Creek Township -- $494.28 City of St. Marys -- $656.34

ERIE COUNTY

Erie County Health Department -- $109,771.96

FAYETTE COUNTY

Nicholson Township -- $183.01

FOREST COUNTY

Howe Township -- $476.00 Jenks Township -- $1,719.13

FRANKLIN COUNTY

Guilford Township -- $1,793.29 Hamilton Township -- $878.53 Letterkenny Township -- $251.63 Lurgan Township -- $331.70

FULTON COUNTY

Belfast Township -- $817.38

GREENE COUNTY

Franklin Township -- $255.00 Wayne Township -- $510.00

HUNTINGDON COUNTY

Barree Township -- $21.25 Cass Township -- $807.50 Cromwell Township -- $806.19 Dublin Township -- $446.25 Jackson Township -- $1,073.13 Lincoln Township -- $595.00 Marklesburg Borough -- $85.00 Miller Township -- $199.75 Morris Township -- $510.00 Oneida Township -- $956.25 Penn Township -- $2,054.88 Porter Township -- $2,447.12 Shirley Township -- $1,652.46 Springfield Township -- $988.13 Spruce Creek Township -- $286.88 Tell Township -- $1,211.25 Walker Township -- $875.50 West Township -- $688.50

INDIANA COUNTY

Indiana County Sewage Enforcement Agency -- $43,851.60

JEFFERSON COUNTY

Jefferson County Sewage Association -- $17,727.94 Snyder Township -- $372.02

JUNIATA COUNTY

Juniata Sewage Committee -- $47,088.95 Walker Township -- $1,113.50

LACKAWANNA COUNTY

Abington Township -- $1,273.61 Archbald Borough -- $2,248.54 Benton Township -- $1,471.57 Blakely Borough -- $532.41 Clarks Summit Borough -- $210.85 Glenburn Township -- $4,132.70 La Plume Township -- $471.27 North Abington Township -- $4,349.02 Ransom Township -- $1,837.00 South Abington Township -- $1,463.94

LANCASTER COUNTY

Bart Township -- $136.00 Clay Township -- $1,413.05 Conoy Township -- $892.50 East Earl Township -- $3,695.49 Elizabeth Township -- $4,229.92 Martic Township -- $1,911.05 Pequea Township -- $3,234.60 Rapho Township -- $1,711.74 West Cocalico Township -- $2,654.27 West Lampeter Township -- $571.99

LAWRENCE COUNTY

Wilmington Township -- $457.94

LEBANON COUNTY

Bethel Township -- $193.11 Lebanon County Planning Department -- $59,822.96 Union Township -- $294.21

LEHIGH COUNTY

Lynn Township -- $989.40

LUZERNE COUNTY

Black Creek Township -- $1,557.63 Butler Township -- $1,303.69 Conyngham Borough -- $79.69 Conyngham Township -- $47.81 Dorrance Township -- $926.90 Franklin Township --$1,395.87 Hollenback Township -- $392.58 Nuangola Borough -- $201.88 Ross Township -- $908.27 Sugarloaf Township -- $3,048.31 Union Township -- $790.50

LYCOMING COUNTY

Cogan House Township -- $36.56 Lycoming Sanitary Committee -- $112,211.61 Mifflin Township -- $203.26

MCKEAN COUNTY

Bradford Township -- $401.63 Corydon Township -- $838.31 Eldred Township -- $635.38 Foster Township -- $263.50 Hamilton Township -- $99.88 Hamlin Township -- $619.44 Lafayette Township -- $568.23 Sergeant Township -- $280.50 Wetmore Township -- $340.02

MERCER COUNTY

City of Hermitage -- $269.15 Mercer County Joint Sewage Agency -- $5,953.20

MIFFLIN COUNTY

Armagh Township -- $3,393.63 Bratton Township -- $1,585.74 Brown Township -- $929.00 Decatur Township -- $5,064.22 Derry Township -- $123.25 Menno Township -- $1,819.00 Wayne Township -- $1,043.30

MONROE COUNTY

Jackson Township -- $3,476.89

MONTGOMERY COUNTY

Montgomery County Health Department -- $201,727.90 Towamencin Township -- $5,222.19

MONTOUR COUNTY

Anthony Township -- $247.01 Liberty Township -- $926.50

NORTHAMPTON COUNTY

Lehigh Township -- $9,688.73

NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY

Ralpho Township -- $707.63 Rush Township -- $1,119.88 Upper Mahanoy Township -- $526.79 Washington Township -- $296.85

PERRY COUNTY

Miller Township -- $153.00 Rye Township -- $775.73 Tuscarora Township -- $794.75 Wheatfield Township -- $428.69

PHILADELPHIA COUNTY

City of Philadelphia Department of Health -- $266.94

POTTER COUNTY

Genesee Township -- $502.03 Oswayo Borough -- $195.93 Roulette Township -- $241.61 Wharton Township -- $100.73

SCHUYLKILL COUNTY

Barry Township -- $408.00 Cass Township -- $297.79 Hubley Township -- $102.00 North Union Township -- $933.94 Orwigsburg Borough -- $63.75 Port Clinton Borough -- $177.95 Rush Township -- $643.88 Union Township -- $659.81 Walker Township -- $433.50 Washington Township -- $248.63 West Brunswick Township -- $675.75 West Mahanoy Township -- $89.25 West Penn Township -- $2,484.13

SNYDER COUNTY

Middlecreek Township -- $745.88 Perry Township -- $267.75 Snyder County Sewage Code Enforcement Commission -- $30,616.73 Washington Township -- $1,166.63 West Perry Township -- $476.00

SOMERSET COUNTY

Addison Township -- $1,072.48 Callimont Borough -- $126.12 Greenville Township -- $156.63 Indian Lake Borough -- $1,145.41 Jefferson Township -- $706.27 Jenner Township -- $988.93 Larimer Township -- $307.82 Lower Turkeyfoot Township -- $644.14 Somerset Township -- $1,389.75 Southampton Township -- $198.65

SUSQUEHANNA COUNTY

Susquehanna County COG Sewage Committee -- $71,302.45

TIOGA COUNTY

North Central Sewage Agency -- $64,129.67

UNION COUNTY

Central Keystone Council of Governments -- $8,576.82

VENANGO COUNTY

Allegheny Township -- $210.38 Oil Creek Township -- $77.56

WARREN COUNTY

Cherry Grove Township -- $501.50 Columbus Township -- $1,264.38 Conewango Township -- $437.75 Elk Township -- $847.88 Freehold Township -- $449.44 Glade Township -- $775.63 Limestone Township -- $1,012.56 Mead Township -- $131.75 Pine Grove Township -- $996.63 Pittsfield Township -- $287.09 Pleasant Township -- $770.21 Sheffield Township -- $194.44 Spring Creek Township -- $864.88 Sugar Grove Township -- $709.75 Triumph Township -- $439.88

WASHINGTON COUNTY

Washington County Sewage Council -- $30,523.64

WAYNE COUNTY

Dreher Township -- $1,662.26 Sterling Township -- $657.67

WESTMORELAND COUNTY

Allegheny Township -- $2,516.32 Rostraver Township -- $1,034.85 Upper Burrell Township -- $1,080.56

WYOMING COUNTY

Eaton Township -- $263.53 Tunkhannock Township -- $1,205.49

YORK COUNTY

Carroll Township -- $3,334.65 Cross Roads Borough -- $174.25 East Hopewell Township -- $1,175.13 Franklin Township -- $1,211.90 Jackson Township -- $6,389.07 Newberry Township --$3,066.60 North Hopewell Township -- $539.75 Warrington Township -- $4,162.90