June 1, 2018 – The Allegheny County Sanitary Authority (ALCOSAN) will be conducting its second round of technical analysis in preparation for a massive improvement plan for cleaner, healthier rivers and streams in the region.
Beginning on Monday, June 4, contractors will be conducting geotechnical testing at various sites in Pittsburgh, Etna and Sharpsburg. A total of 30 borings will be conducted through August. Last year, the same type of testing was conducted in 12 places in Pittsburgh, Rankin and McKees Rocks.
Borings will be made to assess the condition of the soil and rock, gather information on the level and amount of groundwater and obtain an understanding of the subsurface conditions that could influence future plans.
Drill rigs and support vehicles will be present, with traffic controls in place in locations where the public has access. The locations have been selected to minimize the impact on residents and businesses, and contractors will maintain access for local traffic to any affected driveways and sidewalks.
Operations typically run from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., and the work should take one to two weeks in each location. All personnel will wear ALCOSAN safety vests.
While the process is fairly quick and every effort will be made to keep disruption to our neighborhoods minimal, this process can be noisy as the drill rigs bore through the ground.
Once the borings are complete, monitors will be put into place, and they will be checked periodically, but the rigs and support vehicles will be on the sites only temporarily.