DEP orders PWSA to make major infrastructure upgrades

The Department of Environmental Protection is ordering the Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority to make several major improvements following an investigation into the embattled utility's operations.

The report has been expected for several months as the DEP went deeper with its investigation into the PWSA.

Wednesday afternoon, the DEP released three key infrastructure improvements the utility is required to make.

The first is on the Lanpher Reservoir in Shaler Township, which has been out of commission since August when tears in the cover led to a boil-water advisory.

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The PWSA also must make improvements to the disinfecting system at the Highland 1 Reservoir in Highland Park, which has been offline since February.

Finally, the utility must install backup systems at the Bruecken Pump Station.

The DEP also wants extra measures to make sure there's no drop in water pressure.

The PWSA says it's working on making all of these improvements as quickly as possible and some have already begun.

The DEP's release also states that the PWSA has cooperated with its investigation.

Sources say the PWSA is still expected to face fines from the DEP for not replacing enough service lines containing lead, a program the utility ended this summer over concerns about partial replacements causing further contamination and the legality of full replacements.

Cox Media Group