Sen. Alren Specter, R-Pa., announced today in Pittsburgh that the federal government will chip in $800,000 to help pay for studies and regional planning required by a federal mandate to upgrade sewer systems in Allegheny County by 2026.

The senator earmarked the money in the Interior Department appropriations bill for 3 Rivers Wet Weather, a nonprofit organization formed to work on innovative, regional, cost-effective approaches to significantly reduce the sewage overflows into area rivers and creeks every time it rains.

More than 400 sanitary and combined sewer overflow pipes in the county dump an estimated 16 billion gallons of untreated sewage and storm water into the rivers a year. The repairs will cost the Allegheny County Sanitary Authority an estimated $1 billion and its 83 member municipalities another $2 billion.

John Schombert, 3 Rivers Wet Weather executive director, said regional approaches to flow monitoring and mapping of sewer lines have already saved municipalities millions of dollars, and the new federal money will help implement similar coordinated development of a regional feasibility and flow control plan.

Since 1999, Mr. Specter has helped secure funding totaling $23 million for various parts of the planning for sewer system improvements in the county.

First Published: July 16, 2007, 7:00 p.m.