Chobani’s planned $1.2 billion investment in Pennsylvania’s Lehigh Valley is prompting regional planning for the water and wastewater infrastructure needed to support the dairy company’s expansion.

Lehigh County Authority (LCA) has worked with Chobani, state officials and municipal partners to evaluate the project’s water and wastewater requirements, including system capacity, treatment needs, infrastructure connections and potential impacts on existing customers.

The effort involves the County of Lehigh, City of Allentown, South Whitehall Township, Lower Macungie Township and Upper Macungie Township. According to LCA, the partners are evaluating approaches including shared sewer system allocations, sustainable water supply projects, innovative technologies and reinvestment in industrial pretreatment facilities serving major regional employers.

The project is expected to create 900 full-time jobs over five years and expand opportunities for more than 4,000 dairy farmers across Pennsylvania. The commonwealth is providing $50 million in loans and grants through the PA SITES program for infrastructure improvements associated with the development.

LCA said its engineering, planning, operations, environmental and maintenance teams have been involved in assessing both the project's immediate infrastructure needs and longer-term investments required to support growth while maintaining service for existing customers.