Hollidaysburg residents continue to push back against the borough’s sewer project because they say it will cost them thousands of dollars to comply with a new system. 

Hookup to the new sewer system could cost between 10 and 15 thousand dollars. Residents also worry about potential damage to their basements.

Jennifer Perry doesn’t think the board cares about what they’re up against. She said, “It is also frustrating that I’m not sure that there is a level of sympathy from the council members that there should be whenever you’re asking the people in the community to spend 10, 15, even 20 thousand dollars and have their house torn up when there may been another way to deal with this situation.”

Sewer Authority Chairman Regis Nale disagrees. He believes the board is sympathetic to the public and this is the only way to solve the sewer issue in Hollidaysburg. He explains, “We feel for everyone. Everyone on the board feels for you people. It isn’t that we don’t feel for you. We don’t have any other alternative that makes any sense.”

The new sewage system deals with overflow that comes from slabs under a home. Nale doesn’t think other methods will work as well. He explained, “If under-slab is not addressed, that I&I, inflow and infiltration during rainstorms, is still a huge problem.”

100 homeowners have had the work completed. Last month we with spoke to Jim Rhodes who had his pipes connected to the new system which has cost him $10,000. For those who can’t afford the cost, they feel there isn’t much they can do. 

 Perry explained, “I have also been told I could take out a low interest loan somewhere or refinance my house. Again, that’s a tremendous expense for me, one that I’m really not able and care not to pay.”

The  project could effect around 400 homes. The borough website says that residents can apply for financial assistance through the Community Development Block Grant program but there is are income requirements to qualify. They also are not accepting applications at this time. Residents can be put on a contact list for when it reopens.