USACE partners with Allegheny County to construct grit chamber

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Pittsburgh District announced that it will sign a partnership agreement with the Allegheny County Sanitary Authority (ALCOSAN) to construct a grit chamber along Spring Garden as part of a $4.3 million environmental infrastructure project in Pittsburgh, Jan. 11.

Col. Adam Czekanski, USACE Pittsburgh District commander, will sign the project-partnership agreement with county officials to kickstart the project. Once complete, the grit chamber will capture unwanted grit and solids from the sanitary sewer system introduced from Spring Garden Run. The grit chamber will consist of three cells separated by baffles and water will pass through the chamber, allowing solids to settle at the bottom.

The chamber acts as a filter to both reduce scour and blockages in the piping system that increase overflow risks during excessive rainfall, as well as prevent the unwanted solids from reaching the treatment facility. Unwanted solids can cause premature wear and unintended maintenance issues to system components.

The project will be funded through Section 313 of the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) which provides support to communities in south-central Pennsylvania for projects like wastewater treatment, water supply, storage treatment, distribution and other water-related needs.

“By partnering with the U.S Army Corps of Engineers, ACOSAN can complete this project without increasing costs to taxpayers,” says Cassandra P. Forsyth, a district project manager. “This program is an outstanding example of federal partnerships that truly benefit the local communities."

Contract work is expected to be complete by the end of 2024. The government shares the cost of the project with the sponsor at a rate of 75 to 25 percent, respectively, under the Section 313 Environmental Infrastructure Program.