The Bucks County Water and Sewer Authority (BCWSA) today announced a $17 million capital improvement project that will upgrade Upper Dublin Township’s sewer system and provide new wastewater treatment capacity to Ambler Borough.
BCWSA will construct a watertight pump station in Upper Dublin Township and install a new 12,000 linear-foot force main, a pressurized pipe that moves wastewater to a treatment plant using pumps or compressors, to Ambler Borough where the wastewater will be treated. The existing 71-year-old treatment facility in Upper Dublin, which is in a floodplain, will be taken out of service and decommissioned.
As a result of the new system upgrades being made by BCWSA, which are slated to take full effect [in March 2026], Upper Dublin Township and Ambler Borough will realize an increase in wastewater treatment capacity. Greater treatment capacity provides an opportunity for local municipalities to bring new homes and commercial sites into their systems.
“The Upper Dublin capital improvement project is another example of our commitment to making necessary upgrades to enhance an aging infrastructure on behalf of ratepayers and the communities we serve,” said Benjamin Jones, CEO of BCWSA.
BCWSA has owned and managed Upper Dublin’s sewer treatment facility since 2001.
“We are proactively relocating the existing system out of a floodplain in Upper Dublin Township in the event of a catastrophic flooding that many communities have experienced in recent years.”
The new force main will run from the site of the existing treatment facility to Ambler Borough. The project is expected to take about 18 months to complete. BCWSA is working with Joao & Bradley Construction Co. and Eastern Environmental Contractors, Inc. on the project, and plans to commence work immediately.
An October 2020 letter from Upper Dublin Township’s Manager to BCWSA stated, “There is significant development going on in Upper Dublin Township in the Fort Washington Park and elsewhere. This 67-year-old plant, while well maintained and serviced by BCWSA, is in vital need of retirement.”
“Ambler Borough has been working with Bucks County Water and Sewer Authority for the past few years to plan for the additional flow from BCWSA customers in Upper Dublin to be processed at the Ambler Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP),” said Mary Aversa, Borough Manager for the Borough of Ambler. “There are various improvements and upgrades being planned and implemented so that the flow is transferred smoothly and level of service provided is not impacted. The upgrades will be a benefit to the residents of Ambler Borough, Lower Gwynedd, Whitpain, Whitemarsh, and Upper Dublin. We will work closely with BCWSA during this transition and post updates on the Borough’s website as needed.”
Project updates will also be provided on www.bcwsa.net and www.bcwsainvestments.org
The Upper Dublin project is part of BCWSA’s capital improvement campaign to make necessary infrastructure improvements across its footprint.