History
The Lancaster Area Sewer Authority was formed over 50 years ago in March of 1965 in order to implement a master sewage collection and treatment plan developed by the Suburban Lancaster Joint Sewer Board. The original six incorporating municipalities included the Townships of Manor, East Hempfield, West Hempfield, and Lancaster, and the Boroughs of Mountville and East Petersburg.
Construction of the Authority’s sewage collection and conveyance system and treatment facility began in 1972. The collection and conveyance system originally included 720,000 feet of gravity main (from 8″ diameter through 48″ diameter) and 14 pumping stations. The treatment facility was constructed along River Road in Washington Boro (Manor Township) to treat an average daily sewage flow of 11.4 Million Gallons per Day (MGD).
The collection and conveyance system has grown to include more than 620 miles of collection lines and 44 pumping stations. The Washington Boro treatment facility was upgraded in 1989 to meet more stringent state regulations, and was re-rated in 1994 to allow an average daily flow of 12.0 MGD. A construction project in 1999 added a third primary settling basin to increase hydraulic capacity of the facility to its present permitted capacity of 15.0 MGD, while an upgrade in 2007 provided for additional nutrient removal capabilities. The Authority’s Washington Boro treatment facility discharges treated sewage effluent to the Susquehanna River through the nearby Dry Run. The collection and conveyance system serving the Manheim Township was purchased in November 2003, adding about 130 miles of collection lines, 6 pumping stations, and about 13,000 customers. The collection system serving Columbia Borough was purchased in May 2015, adding about 35 miles of collection lines and about 3,900 customers. The collection and conveyance system serving West Earl Township was purchased in October 2020, adding about 4.5 miles of collection lines, 5 pumping stations, a 0.5 MGD treatment facility and about 1,300 customers.
The Lancaster Area Sewer Authority’s service area presently serves nine municipalities (the original six plus Manheim Township, Columbia Borough and West Earl Township), and serves a population equivalent of over 125,000, including about 1,400 businesses. The Authority bills nearly 40,000 users directly. The Lancaster Area Sewer Authority is among the ten largest sewage authorities in the Commonwealth, and operates the second largest treatment facility in Lancaster County.