A Great Place to Live, Work and Play

The Borough of Orwigsburg is small town America. One of our major strengths as a community is our small-town charm in a fast-paced environment. With only 3106 residents, many families have known each other for generations. The local economy is strong, and local crime is low. Infrastructure is maintained and operational with a proximity of a roads network to PA Route 61, Interstate 78 and Interstate 81. 

Orwigsburg is a great Pennsylvania community. It has a strong and dedicated workforce, the residents are caring and supportive of each other, and it seems that even Father Time moves at a more relaxed pace.

 ANNOUNCEMENTS:

NOTICE OF AUDIT

Pursuant to the provisions of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Borough Code, notice is hereby given that the Auditor’s Report of the Borough of Orwigsburg, Orwigsburg, Pennsylvania for the year ended December 31, 2024 has been filed as required thereby. The audit was performed by Smith, Elliot Kearns & Company, LLC, Certified Public Accountants, Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. This report is available for public inspection at the Borough office during regular business hours.

The audit report for the Municipal Authority of the Borough of Orwigsburg for the year ended December 31, 2024 has been completed and is available for public inspection at the Authority’s office during regular business hours.

You will note our Town Christmas Tree is smaller than normal this year. We have transitioned from cutting down a tree to a living tree. Each year we will be able to watch "our" tree grow. It will not be long until we have a tree as large as we are used to. It is also important to remember the purpose of the tree - "Charlie Brown's Christmas." The tree symbolizes going back to the basics and appreciating the little things in life. We thank the OABPA for transitioning us from cutting down a tree, each year, to a more sustainable approach. We wish everyone a Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanza and Happy Eid-al-Fitr or if you do not celebrate one of the above, Happy Holidays.

Sanitary Sewer: Things you always wanted to know but never asked.

We all have questions about our sewer system, but never ask. We are hoping to share some helpful facts about one of our most important resources.

A sanitary sewer building lateral is the extension from the building sewer outside the inner face of the building wall and extending to the public sewer or other place of disposal. The building lateral belongs to the owner of the property, making it the homeowner’s responsibility to maintain. When a home is constructed, the builders must connect the building lateral to the sewer main which is known as “tapping”. The process of tapping also has an associated fee which is meant to pay for and secure a portion or share of the sewage and/or water capacity needed in the collection, conveyance, and treatment facilities. It is considered a “buy in” to the sanitary sewer system and payment for facility costs not funded by user rates.

The Borough receives several calls annually about sewage back-ups into property owner’s homes. The most common reason for these back-ups can be traced to tree-roots. Roots of plants, shrubs, etc. will seek out a water source, particularly in dry weather, and in many cases will intrude into the building lateral. Significant tree root intrusions can cause sewer back-ups on your property as well as blockages in the Borough’s sewer mains. The Borough maintains these sewer mains, but the building laterals are the homeowner’s responsibility. It is a common misconception that the property owner’s responsibility ends at the house/building trap (a device fitting normally found up to 5 feet outside the inner face of the building wall that prevents circulation of air and/or noxious gases from the building sewer to the building drain). However, this is not the case as the homeowner’s responsibility is on both sides of the trap and extending out to the property line.

Many homes in the Borough have building laterals made of tera-cotta (or vitrified clay) pipes. Tera-cotta was a very common industry standard pipe component used during the time of installation for the Borough’s sanitary sewer system. These pipes, by their very nature, have joints that over time can allow easy access for roots to enter and grow into the pipe. Once the roots enter and become established the “root-balls” grow as more and more water and nutrients are absorbed. Almost anything flushed down a toilet, or disposed of down a sink, can get hung up leading to a clog that could force sewage back into the home.

To prevent these potential clogs from happening there are several items that should never be disposed of down a sink or toilet including tissues, paper towels, sanitary napkins and tampons, baby wipes, personal hygiene wipes, etc. In addition, never pour oil or grease down the sink. While it may go down the drain as a liquid, this grease will thicken and harden as soon as it encounters the cold pipes underground This hardened grease will adhere to the inner walls of your building lateral causing a restriction in flow which could also lead to sewer back-ups.

There are times when the Borough discovers large quantities of grease in the sewer main. This build-up can cause numerous issues within the Borough’s sewage collection system. To help combat this issue, commercial establishments in the Borough are required to install and maintain grease traps. Residents are also asked to do their part to prevent blockages and encouraged not to pour oils and greases down the drain.

Tori Morgan, LO 

Director of Funding, Regulatory Relations & Compliance Entech Engineering

2025 Budgets

2025-01 General Fund Budget Draft.pdf

2025-03 Fire Fund Budget Draft.pdf

2025-04 Recreation Fund Budget Draft.pdf

2025-06 Water Fund Budget Draft.pdf

2025-08 Sewer Fund Budget Draft.pdf

2025-09 Sanitation Fund Budget Draft.pdf

Trash & Recycling Issues

The hauler has changed to Anthracite Waste Management.

The days for pick-up have remained the same except a small portion of Market Street.