Sent: Friday, July 06, 2007 9:42 AM
Subject: News Clipping - Philladelphia PA

 

http://www.phillyburbs.com/pb-dyn/news/213-07042007-1372979.html

 

Manager announces $10 hike in quarterly sewer bills


By KARA FITZPATRICK
phillyBurbs.com

Upper Southampton residents will notice a $10 hike in their sewer bills this quarter, Herbert Schoell Jr., manager of the township's municipal authority, told the supervisors Tuesday.

The increase will raise the quarterly flat-rate fee for sewer service from $50 to $60. The increase was effective July 1.

However, Schoell said, Upper Southampton's sewer rates are still one of the area's lowest.

Lower Moreland charges a flat rate of $136.50 per quarter and Northampton Municipal Authority customers pay $129.27 per 20,000 gallons of water.

The additional funds are needed to help fund a future 4-million gallon sewage holding tank in Philadelphia.

Because Upper Southampton, along with the municipal authorities of Lower Southampton, Northampton, Lower Moreland and Bensalem's Bucks County Water and Sewer Authority, tie into a Philadelphia sewer line “we all have to pay,” Schoell said.

The holding tank will handle sewer overflow that occurs near the Poquessing Creek, behind Holy Family University in Philadelphia, Schoell said. The line accessed by the Upper Southampton and the other suburban communities runs along the Poquessing Creek.

 

The holding tank is required by the state Department of Environmental Protection because the area overflows during heavy rain, Schoell said.

Upper Southampton's 2008 contribution to the project will be $411,000, Schoell said. The project likely won't start for three or four years and will be done in phases, he added.

Schoell said residents should be pleased with the local municipal authority rates.

Because the Upper Southampton Municipal Authority is “aggressive” about controlling leaks, about 2 million gallons of rainwater a day have been eliminated from the storm system, Schoell said. The decrease has allowed rates to remain low, he said.

Kara Fitzpatrick can be reached at 215-949-4190 or kfitzpatrick@phillyburbs.com.


July 4, 2007 3:40 AM