U.S. Rep. Joseph Pitts toured the Manheim Borough Authority wastewater treatment plant Monday as the facility prepares for a $10 million mandated upgrade.

The authority is seeking $6.7 million in grants from the Capital Financing Administration and asked Pitts to write a letter of recommendation to state agencies for the plant's proposal.

After getting a guided tour of the facility and on-site laboratory with the plant's engineers and members of the authority, Pitts said he's ready to give his support.

"The upgrades will have a major impact on the improvement of water quality in the area," Pitts said. "What I liked about what they're doing is they're shovel-ready to stimulate the local economy. You can see the crane set up out there, ready to go."

The plant's upgrades were mandated by the Chesapeake Bay Program, which calls for reductions in biological nutrients. The improvements will reduce point-source pollution: a discharge of pollutants from a single identifiable location.

Nutrients such as nitrates and phosphates, which fuel the growth of algae blooms and block sunlight to vital grasses in the Chesapeake Bay, enter the bay largely through wastewater treatment plants.

Changes to the facility would reduce nitrate limits from 25 milligrams per liter of water to 6, and phosphates from 2 milligrams per liter to 0.8.

The authority held an informational meeting June 29, and state Rep. Tom Creighton and state Sen. Mike Brubaker have already toured the facility, authority administrator Matt Parido said. To date, the plant has received $5 million in loans. The project is expected to wrap up in December 2010.

"I wanted to be sure the authority was hitting the ground running in improving the actual stream quality," Pitts said, "and my questions have been satisfied."

Pitts also visited Country Club Apartments, a 95-unit housing development off Pitney Road in East Lampeter Township that offers affordable housing.

About 59 families currently live in the community and 600 people have applied for residency. Most of the tenants are working families with an average income of about $24,000 a year, and four of the households had been homeless.

Several units are wheelchair-accessible. Pitts visited one of the handicapped residents to see the rooms for himself.

"A lot of money was put into this project, and I wanted to see its impact," Pitts said. "And here I can see its impact hands-on."

E-mail: drorabaugh@lnpnews.com