What is the GROW Program?
The GROW program is an essential part of ALCOSAN’s plan to create cleaner waterways. In 2016, ALCOSAN created the Green Revitalization of Our Waterways (GROW) program. It was designed as a system-wide effort to reduce excess water from entering an already overloaded sewer collection system.
GROW is a multi-million-dollar grant program that provides funding for source reduction projects in our partner communities and authorities. Under the program, any municipality or municipal sewer authority within the ALCOSAN service area is eligible to submit a source control project for grant funding consideration.
Benefits
- Addresses the community’s concerns about including green infrastructure.
- Creates collaboration between ALCOSAN and our partner municipalities.
- Reduces excess rainwater from entering the sewer system and contributing to overflows.
- Protects and conserves our area’s natural resources.
Eligible Project Types
- Removing streams from the sewer system (direct stream inflow removal).
- Managing storm runoff by installing nature-based solutions that absorb and filter rainwater (green stormwater infrastructure).
- Providing maintenance on cracked or broken pipes to reduce water from seeping in and entering the system (infiltration/inflow reduction).
- Dividing a combined sewer system by adding another pipe that only carries wastewater and the original pipe will only carry rainwater (sewer separation).
- Performing maintenance on related infrastructure to ensure it is working at the highest capacity (system optimization).
Since 2016, nearly 85% of ALCOSAN’s customer municipalities have participated in the GROW program. GROW has provided $60 million in grant funding towards approximately 140 projects that will reduce sewer overflow by an estimated 200 million gallons per year.
When and How to Apply
Any municipality or municipal sewer authority within the ALCOSAN service area is eligible for GROW grants. New grant cycles typically begin in the fall season. ALCOSAN will schedule information meetings before each cycle to assist municipalities with the application process. Application documents are available via the municipal portal.
Have questions regarding the GROW program at ALCOSAN?
GROW Grant Recipients and Projects
2021 GROW Program Grant Offers - Cycle 6
| Municipal Partner | Project Description | GROW Grant Received |
|---|---|---|
Baldwin Borough | Sanitary sewer lining (I/I) – Streets Run Multi-Municipal Sewer Rehabilitation Project (I/I) - The project is a comprehensive sewer rehabilitation project with infrastructure improvements in five municipalities including Baldwin Borough, Brentwood Borough, Borough of Whitehall, West Mifflin Borough, and the City of Pittsburgh. This project includes sewer lining, manhole repairs and modifications to the sewer alignment and is the largest multi-municipal project submitted to the GROW program to date, in both project scope and the number of municipalities participating in the project. | $5,432,500 |
Municipality of Bethel Park | Sanitary sewer lining (I/I) – This project consists of sanitary sewer lining in several portions of the municipality near McLaughlin Run. | $108,700 |
| Borough of Etna | Sewer separation and direct stream inflow removal (SS, DSIR) – This project consists of removing two sources of inflow from the combined sewer system in a residential neighborhood tributary to Pine Creek. | $680,379.02 |
| Ingram Borough | Sewer separation (SS) – The project includes the removal of two cross-connections of the stormwater sewer system to the sanitary sewer system. | $280,000 |
| Monroeville Municipal Authority | Sewer lining (I/I) – Sanitary sewer lining of 2,767 linear feet of sewer lines near East Thompson Run. | $26,400 |
| Mt. Lebanon | Sanitary sewer lining (I/I) – The project consists of approximately 1,400 linear feet of sanitary sewer lining in a residential area along Cedar Boulevard. | $39,700 |
| Mt. Lebanon | Sanitary sewer lining (I/I) – The project consists of approximately 2,000 linear feet of sanitary sewer lining in a residential area along Eisenhower Drive. | $47,400 |
| Township of O’Hara | Sanitary sewer lining (I/I) – The project includes lining of 7,100 linear feet of sanitary sewer lines. | $69,600 |
| Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority | Sanitary sewer lining (I/I) –The project consists of 22,500 linear feet of sanitary sewer lining in the Carrick neighborhood of Pittsburgh. | $391,700 |
| Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority | Direct stream inflow removal (DSIR) – The Four Mile Run Stormwater Project encompasses Schenley Park and several Pittsburgh neighborhoods including Garfield, Hazelwood, Oakland, and Squirrel Hill. This project will capture and route stormwater through a natural channel that will follow the path of the historic streams that formed Four Mile Run from Panther Hollow Lake to the Monongahela River. The project includes daylighting of the stream through Schenley Park then directing that flow to a designated storm sewer directing it to the Monongahela River. The total cost of the project for design and construction is $29,618,661 and the project received the maximum GROW grant award of | $10,000,000. |
| Ross Township | Sanitary sewer lining (I/I) – This project consists of 65,000 linear feet of sanitary sewer lining along Spring Run and in the adjacent residential area. | $248,484.07 |
| Scott Township | Sanitary sewer lining (I/I) – This project consists of 3,545 linear feet of sanitary sewer lining along Kane Boulevard and the adjacent residential area. | $139,400 |
| Borough of Sharpsburg | Sewer separation and direct stream inflow removal (SS/DSIR) – This multi-municipal project includes the removal of a stream which enters the combined sewer system along Ravine Street in Sharpsburg. Additional drainage area from surrounding municipalities and stormwater from PA State Route 28 will also be separated from the combined sewer system. | $4,758,133.71 |
| South Fayette Township Municipal Authority | Sanitary sewer lining (I/I) – The project consists of 9,380 linear feet of sanitary sewer lining along the Portman Run sewer main. | $93,200 |
| Wilkinsburg Borough | Sanitary sewer lining (I/I) – This project consists of 7,600 linear feet of sanitary sewer lining in the Laketon neighborhood of Wilkinsburg. | $360,047.17 |
Green Stormwater Infrastructure Guidance Documents
ALCOSAN is committed to taking a proactive approach to stormwater management. ALCOSAN and its customer municipalities and authorities have completed significant work throughout the service area to understand the scope and challenges of preventing extraneous source flow from entering the Regional Conveyance System. Building on these efforts, ALCOSAN created guidance documents to support the successful implementation of Green Stormwater Infrastructure (GSI). This document is intended to provide guidelines for private and public entities in constructing GSI, from initial planning stages to post-construction maintenance.
Green Stormwater Infrastructure and Source Control Monitoring Guide
This document provides guidance to facilitate successful performance monitoring of source control projects implemented to reduce inflow into the regional collection system within the ALCOSAN service area. It is intended to be used by ALCOSAN, municipalities, and municipal sewer authorities in planning for, developing and implementing monitoring plans for projects funded under ALCOSAN’s Green Revitalization of Our Waterways (GROW) grant program.
Quick Links
ALCOSAN’s GROW Program Announcement
Grants available up to $10 million per project.
See Press Release for Details