Harrisburg, Pa (Enero 28, 2025) – West Chester Borough was awarded state funding to upgrade its aging stormwater infrastructure, state Senator Carolyn Comitta and state Representative Chris Pielli announced.
The funding, approved today by the Commonwealth Financing Agency, will support the repair or replacement of portions of the borough’s existing brick stormwater infrastructure, some of which is more than a century old.
Comitta and Pielli supported the borough’s successful application for $200,000 in state grant funding.
“As we continue to face increased rainfall and precipitation, it’s important that we build a climate-resilient infrastructure to manage runoff, prevent flooding, and mitigate pollution,” said Comitta, who serves as minority chair of the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee and on the Local Government Committee. “These improvements are an investment in the public health, environmental health, and economic health of our West Chester community.”
“Pennsylvania has a multitude of important waterways that run through our communities, supplying millions of Pennsylvanians with clean drinking water, Unfortunately, too many of our waterways are being polluted by untreated stormwater runoff. Infrastructure upgrades are necessary to keep things running smoothly in West Chester,” Pielli said. “If one storm drain fails, it creates a domino effect of bigger problems that range from minor nuisance to major safety hazard. I thank the Commonwealth Financing Authority and state Sen. Carolyn Comitta for making these repairs possible.”
The project calls for installing an expand-in-place PVC liner in sections of the stormwater system that have surpassed their life expectancy. It will not only prevent future collapses but will also enhance flood control and mitigation and help the system operate more effectively and efficiently.
It was also supported by the Chester County Planning Commission and is consistent with Landscapes3, the comprehensive plan for Chester County.
The project was funded by Act 13 of 2012 (the Marcellus Legacy Fund), which supports stream restoration and maintenance, as well as the planning and development of recreational trails, open space, parks, flood mitigation, watershed restoration, and beautification projects.
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