Upper Saucon Township Water and Sewer Department

The Water and Sewer Department is responsible for the operation and maintenance of the Township's water and wastewater facilities. The Department currently has nine full-time employees.

WATER SYSTEM FLUSHING The Upper Saucon Township Water Department will be flushing fire hydrants on the following days: Sunday, May 8, 2011 Monday, May 9, 2011 Tuesday, May 10, 2011 Wednesday, May 11, 2011 Thursday, May 12, 2011 Sunday, May 15, 2011 Monday, May 16, 2011 Hydrants will be flushed from 11:00 PM to 5:00 AM each day.  You may experience a period of cloudy and/or discolored water and/or a momentary pressure fluctuation during the late evening or early morning hours. Please understand that these conditions are temporary and any questions should be directed to the Upper Saucon Township Water Department at 610-694-8680. Thank you in advance for your patience and understanding during this maintenance activity. UPPER SAUCON TOWNSHIP WATER DEPARTMENT 05.03.2011

Water Distribution System
The Township owns and operates a potable water distribution system that services a portion of the Township. The distribution system includes approximately 30 miles of water main and two water reservoir tanks. The Township provides water service to approximately 1,300 customers. The northern portion of the Township is served by the City of Bethlehem's water distribution system.

Water Supply Sources
Customers' water comes from two groundwater sources located within the Township in addition to water purchased from the City of Bethlehem. The Township's water sources include:

Township Well located at the Former NJ Zinc Company Mine Site - The Township has a potable water well at the site of the former New Jersey Zinc Company mine located off of Camp Meeting Road. This well is permitted by the PA Department of Environmental Protection to withdraw up to 167,000 gallons of water per day. In addition, the Township has constructed a water blending station at this location. The purpose of this facility is to blend water from the City of Bethlehem with water from the Township well. By blending the Township's water with the City's water, the hardness of the Township's water is reduced to more acceptable levels.

Township Well located at the Pond's Edge Subdivision - The Township owns and operates a potable well at the Colonial Crest (Pond's Edge) subdivision which is located along Gun Club Road in the southwestern portion of the Township. This well is permitted to withdraw up to 290 gallons per minute. The water from this well is distributed throughout the Township's water system.

City of Bethlehem Water Distribution System - The City of Bethlehem provides water directly to 436 users within Upper Saucon Township. The City's distribution system also supplies water to the Township's blending station for ultimate distribution to the Township through the Township's water distribution system. The Township is allocated up to 300,000 gallons per day of potable water from the City's system.

Sanitary Sewer System
The Township's sanitary sewer system is designed to collect and transport wastewater to the Township's wastewater treatment plant located on PA Route 378. The collection system is comprised of approximately 32 miles of underground pipe ranging from 8 inches to 30 inches in diameter. There is one pumping station in the system located near the Saucon Valley Country Club. The Township provides wastewater service to approximately 2,200 customers.

Wastewater Treatment Plant
The wastewater treatment plant operates in accordance with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection permit No. PA0053147. The permit allows for an average monthly flow of 2 million gallons per day (mgd) through the treatment plant and requires that the plant's effluent meet limits for dissolved oxygen (DO), pH, total suspended solids (TSS), ammonia-nitrogen (NH₃-N), fecal coliform and carbonaceous biochemical oxygen demand (CBOD₅).

The treatment plant employs biological and chemical treatment processes to attain an effluent quality which consistently meets Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection permit requirements. The wastewater process facilities at the plant consist of an influent pump, a mechanically cleaned bar screen, a grit removal system, an activated sludge secondary treatment system, two secondary clarifiers and two chlorine contact tanks. Treated effluent is discharged to the Saucon Creek. Sludge handling facilities at the plant consist of a mechanical thickener and two aerobic digesters. Digested sludge is disposed of through incineration.

Click here to see a diagram of the wastewater treatment plant process.

Maintenance Activities

Sewer Main Cleaning
The Township's collection system flushing program is intended to prevent blockages in the sewer lines. This past year approximately 20,000 linear feet of sewer lines were flushed. This work was enhanced with the recent purchase of a sewer jet truck. Click here to see a photo of the jet truck.

Infiltration/Inflow Reduction Program
The Township initiated a massive infiltration/inflow (I/I) reduction program to reduce flows during wet weather conditions. The program included:

• Rebuilding manholes in the collection system to reduce inflow sources.
• Raising manholes in known floodplain areas.
• Installing plastic manhole inserts to reduce inflow through manhole covers.
• Using recently purchased flow monitoring equipment to identify main segments that are nearing capacity or to help locate potential sources of infiltration.
• Slip lining over 3,000 linear feet of sewer lines to repair cracked or broken joints.
• Using recently purchased TV inspection equipment to see inside sewer lines and identify sources of infiltration. This past year over 20,000 linear feet of sewer lines were TV inspected. Click here to see what the inside of a sewer line looks like.

The Township recently recorded a reduction in peak flows during wet weather conditions which suggests that the infiltration/inflow reduction program is working. If the I/I reduction program is successful, the Township has the potential to provide additional sewer service to the community without the need for costly capital improvements at the sewer treatment plant.