For the average Newtown resident, the local sewer system is the ultimate “out of sight, out of mind” utility. It’s a silent, subterranean world that only enters public consciousness when something goes wrong. But for those charged with its stewardship, the system is a high-stakes puzzle of environmental compliance, civil engineering, and long-term urban survival. 

The February 10, 2026 meeting of the Newtown, Bucks County, Joint Municipal Authority (NBCJMA) made that reality plain: Pennsylvania winter isn’t just a commute-killer—it can be a million-dollar schedule-breaker. Between “crazy” snow dumps and delicate negotiations over historic properties, the session showed that even when the ground is frozen, planning for a town’s future never stops. 

The “Chapter 94” Crystal Ball: The Golden Rule of Planning

One of the most critical agenda items was the annual “Chapter 94” Waste Load Management report. It may sound like a dry regulatory filing, but it functions as a municipal “Golden Rule”: it’s a system-wide health check submitted to the PA Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and the Bucks County Water and Sewer Authority.

The purpose is straightforward but consequential: DEP wants proof that Newtown isn’t growing faster than its pipes can handle. If the Authority can’t demonstrate capacity through five-year projections, the state can effectively halt new development.

“It is basically a combination of a growth projection and kind of an O and M [Operations and Maintenance] report to confirm to DEP what the status of your system is in various aspects.”

— Engineer, during NBCJMA meeting discussion

By pulling together flow data, maintenance records, and new sewer installations from 2025, the report helps ensure the system can handle additional residents from major developments—without overtaxing existing infrastructure. 

When “Crazy” Weather Halts Million-Dollar Projects

The Authority’s Penn’s Commons Sewer Replacement project ran into the hard reality of winter: temperatures and accumulation made it impossible to move equipment or lay pipe.

• The Board discussed a no-cost extension for the contractor, Doli Construction, because paving plants typically don’t open until March—yet the contractor isn’t charging for the delay.
• The Board approved a payment of $142,956.53 for work completed in January, bringing total work-to-date to approximately $1.28 million. 
• Change Order #2 for $35,454 addressed unforeseen underground “historic” conflicts, including replacing 100 feet of old township storm sewer found sitting directly atop the sanitary line.
• The change order also included $6,800 to remove three massive trees whose roots threatened new laterals.

The Great Snow Dump: A 29-Year Base of “Fill Millings”

In an example of inter-municipal cooperation, the Authority’s shop site became an emergency relief valve for the Borough during a particularly “crazy” weekend of snow. With the Borough short on storage locations, the Authority allowed trucks to haul snow to the shop site.

What made the site workable wasn’t luck—it was geology of the practical kind: the shop sits on roughly 10 feet of “fill millings” (recycled asphalt and concrete accumulated over 29 years), forming a dense, stable base that could handle heavy trucks without turning into a muddy mess as the thaw began. 

High-Tech Solutions for Historic Landscapes

One of the most delicate tasks ahead involves a sewer line crossing the historic Tamar Farms property. To protect the landscape, the Authority plans to use lining technology rather than traditional excavation. 

While the broader project’s mainline replacement is roughly 80% complete, the lining remains “the big piece” of the future workload. Lining is a “no-dig” approach—essentially creating a new pipe inside the old one—avoiding the “ripping and tearing” that trenching would require.

The Pebble Legacy: Development vs. Heritage

The tension between modern growth and historic preservation surfaced in discussion of a subdivision at 51 South State Street, formerly owned by the Pebble family, including the well-known “yellow building” that once housed a law firm.

The proposed configuration is a complex flag lot: a blue house in the back remains, while new homes are added to the front. Because existing “super historic” structures (barns and garages) are being revamped rather than demolished, the engineering becomes granular—new units must have separate laterals instead of tying into older lines, requiring careful navigation of easements and common driveways while preserving the property’s character.

Balancing the Books—and the Future

Before adjourning, the Authority addressed a professional services reorganization, choosing continuity by retaining its team, including Gannett Fleming as engineers and Stuckert & Yates as solicitors. 

The Board also authorized a transfer of $542,066.68 from the trust account to the operating account to keep the system running. :

And the growth pressure is real: the Authority recently collected $750 in permit fees for 10 new units at Lion Del Meadows—an example of how development arrives in steady, accumulating increments that must be matched by capacity planning.