The EDU Shortage in #NewtownPA

Newtown Township and neighboring Newtown Borough are currently facing a severe shortage of available Equivalent Dwelling Units (EDUs), effectively putting a system-wide chokehold on new commercial and residential development.

The current situation boils down to a few key factors:

1. State-Imposed Deadlocks on New EDUs

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), working in tandem with the Bucks County Water and Sewer Authority (BCWSA), has heavily restricted the release of new EDUs.

• These restrictions stem from regional capacity constraints on the Neshaminy Interceptor system, which handles wastewater for multiple municipalities. The Neshaminy Interceptor needs significant improvements and upgrades to handle the increased flow. The plan is to bypass and replace the 12 miles of aging pipe infrastructure to mitigate inflow and infiltration for both economic and environmental improvements.
• Under the regional Connection Management Plan and Connection Action Plan, no – or a very limited number of - new EDUs are being issued to Newtown until strict infrastructure and system-sustainability conditions are met.

2. Immediate Impact on Local Development

Because there are essentially zero available EDUs for new allocations, local projects that have already received zoning or land-use approvals from the Township are stuck in limbo.

• The 413 Durham Road Project Example: A prominent example is the approved plan for a 10,000-square-foot daycare and a 6,600-square-foot medical office on Durham Road. While Newtown Township Supervisors approved the plan, the developer explicitly noted they cannot begin construction until they can secure sewer capacity. They are currently on a waitlist via the Connection Management Plan, hoping for a future reallocation of capacity.
• Status of Existing Approvals: Projects that secured their EDUs prior to the lockdown, such as Patriot Place in the Borough, are permitted to move forward, but any future revisions requiring additional EDUs face immediate rejection by the DEP until the system-wide constraints are resolved.

3. The Scrapped Solution: The Newtown Sewer Plant

The shortage of capacity and rising treatment costs levied by regional entities were the primary drivers behind the Newtown Bucks County Joint Municipal Authority (NBCJMA) proposing to build its own independent $11.5 million wastewater treatment plant on Lower Silver Lake Road.

However, following intense pushback from local residents and the Board of Supervisors over environmental, structural, and cost concerns, the NBCJMA voted to completely terminate the sewer plant project. NBCJMA's focus has since shifted to long-term preventative maintenance, such as joint sealing and pipe patching to reduce groundwater infiltration, and offering the purchased land back to its original owners.

Summary

Newtown is entirely dependent on BCWSA and the DEP to resolve regional infrastructure issues before any new EDUs will be freed up. Until those state-mandated milestones are reached, new sewer connections for unapproved developments remain frozen.

Source

“Newtown Reaches Sewer Capacity Limit”

Posted on 17 May 2026, 01:56 - Category: Development