When the Borough of Chambersburg decided in 1910-1911 to obtain its water supply for the State Forest at Caledonia,
it was necessary to obtain a permit from the Pennsylvania State Health Department, and when the State Health Department
issued this permit, it granted to Chambersburg the right to the water of Birch Run, but it also provided that, for this right,
the Borough of Chambersburg was to install a Sanitary Sewerage System with a proper Disposal Plant of a capacity sufficient
to take care of the town for twenty years to come.
The same Bond Issue, providing funds for the construction of the water supply line between Caledonia and Chambersburg,
provided also for sufficient bonds in the amount of $65,000 to put in a Sanitary Sewerage System in Chambersburg (Note:
The Treasurer's office is the proud possessor of bond number 25, in the amount of $500, an "Improvement Bond of 1910"
Series A which carried a 4 1/2% interest rate. This note matured in 1915. The current Borough's logo is adapted from a
depiction of City Hall found on that bond.). This system was constructed and put into service August 1, 1912, and portions
of this initial system are still in service today. The current WWTP facility is located on the site of the 1912 facility.
From the time of the initial construction, continuous improvements have been made with major improvements being made in
1938, 1957, 1978, and 1997 to the treatment facility. Following is a list of major facility milestones:
1938 Upgrade: Upgrades were completed in October 1939 at a cost of $217,715.41 (45% was funded through a grant). Plant capacity was rated at 2 mgd.
1948: A WWTP laboratory was established and the plant processes have been monitored for efficient operation ever since.
The current laboratory facility is accredited by the PA DEP.
1957 Upgrade: Upgrades were completed in 1959 at a cost of $990,330.13.
1978 Upgrade: The J. Hase Mowrey Regional Wastewater Treatment Facility was dedicated on November 16, 1980.
The facility was upgraded to a capacity of 5.2 mgd at a cost of $9.045M (75% was funded through a grant)
Additionally, the WWTP has evolved into a regional facility providing sewage treatment for our Municipal partners in Greene, Guilford, and Hamilton Townships.
Hamilton Township initially provided connections in 1972. Through an expansion of the conveyance system in the 1970's, the remaining townships ultimately
connected to the system in 1980. Currently, the Chambersburg system serves a regional population area of approximately 55,000 people.
2012 - 2014 WWTP Upgrades
The existing treatment facilities at the Chambersburg WWTP are not able to meet the pending nutrient discharge limits required by
Pennsylvania's 2008 Chesapeake Bay Tributary Strategy. Therefore, upgrades to the WWTP will be required to meet the nitrogen and phosphorus caps.
In addition to meeting these caps, a capacity expansion to 11.28 mgd is needed to accommodate the anticipated growth within the service area.
Additionally, the facilities must be able to convey a peak flow of 33.5 mgd based upon analysis of the Borough's collection and conveyance system.
These upgrades are anticipated to begin in 2012 and will continue through 2014.
Chambersburg's J. Hase Mowrey Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant has been a symbol of intermunicipal cooperation for 40 years.
The current upgrades will allow the facility to support the Chambersburg area for the next twenty years.
All contents � Copyright 2011 by Borough of Chambersburg. No part may be reproduced in any form without explicit written permission.
