Officials called it another exciting milestone for the Richland Borough community as they broke ground Saturday, July 25, for a new $6 million elevated water storage tank.
Council president Kelly Bricker highlighted the benefits of the new system, under bright blue and sunny skies before an assembled crowd of about 15 to 20 people.
“Today marks the beginning of construction on our new 500,000 gallon elevated water storage tank. A project that will strengthen our water system by improving water pressure, increasing reliability, and enhancing fire protection for our residents and businesses,” Bricker said. “This investment is about more than infrastructure. It’s about planning for the future and ensuring Richland Borough continues to provide safe, dependable service for generations to come.”
Bricker told LebTown after the brief ceremony that the cost for the project is being covered by grants, meaning there will be no increase in water fees for the 1,600 Richland Borough residents.
“Over the past several years our borough has worked diligently to secure grant funding for critical infrastructure projects. Because of the support of our state and federal partners, we have been able to make these improvements while minimizing the financial burden of our residents,” Bricker said.
This project is part of an ongoing effort to improve the quality of life for the residents, which includes a total of $7.5 million in grant funding for various projects. Bricker thanked U.S. Congressman Dan Meuser (R-9), state Rep. Russ Diamond (R-102), and state Sen. Chris Gebhard (R-48) for their assistance in securing funding through PENNVEST, the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority.
“As Borough Council President, I am incredibly proud of what we have accomplished together. These investments reflect our commitment to responsible planning, fiscal stewardship, and improving the quality of life for everyone who calls Richland Borough home. Thank you for being here to celebrate this important day with us. We look forward to watching this project take shape and continue building a stronger future for Richland Borough,” Bricker said during brief comments during the groundbreaking ceremony.
She thanked the legislators again, noting their support is important to borough residents.
“We genuinely are humbled that you guys are all willing to invest in our little town and that you know we are just trying to make this a better place for everyone involved,” Bricker said.
“Well, you know, good drinking water is one of the basic necessities of life,” said Rep. Diamond. “We’re always happy to go to bat for Richland or any other community here in the district.”
In a statement emailed to LebTown, Congressman Meuser said, “This new water storage tank is an important improvement to residential water pressure and enhanced fire protection during emergencies. I’m pleased my office secured $1 million in federal funding for this project and look forward to seeing it completed so Richland Borough families and first responders can benefit from this critical infrastructure investment.”
Council member and water committee chairman Matt Johnson told LebTown one of the major benefits of the new tank over the old one is an improvement in more consistent water pressure.
“There’s a lot of maintenance involved in that tank now, and we did some improvements on it. But as far as what it does pressure-wise for the town, it’s very inconsistent. This is gonna give you consistent pressure based upon the elevation,” Johnson said, adding that the new tank will maintain consistent pressure even when below capacity.
The new water tower on Spayd’s Lane near 40 Georgie Lane on land owned by the municipality will be constructed beginning around September or October with completion tentatively scheduled for July 2027, according to Johnson.
The tank will replace the current one in the borough since the new tank will sit at a higher elevation and be fed by the borough’s water company from its reservoir on South Mountain.
“We are our own borough water company, so actually up there is the mountain where our reservoir is,” Bricker said after the ceremony, referring to South Mountain in the distance. ”So it’s all gravity fed. There’s a line that we’re gonna tap into that has already come down for the old tank that we have, and it (the new tank) will be fed that way.”
In her closing comments, Bricker asked the few residents who live near the construction site to express their concerns as the project moves forward if the need arises.
“Thank you for coming out and supporting the community. We really appreciate it. I know you all live over that way, so please forgive us for what’s about to take place, but I promise you it is a benefit,” Bricker said. “And we will try to always keep you posted on anything abnormal that will occur. Anything that you’re not happy with, please do not hesitate to contact us.”
In a statement sent to LebTown before the event by borough officials, they noted this project is one of several that have recently received over $7.5 million in grants and subsidized loans from PENNVEST, the Commonwealth Financing Authority, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, and Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED).
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