Residents of Sharon are going to be facing costly sewer rate hikes when the city is forced by the state to expand the sewer plant, Council President Fred Hoffman said at a meeting Thursday.

For years the city has been prodded by the state to reduce the amount of excess inflow entering the sewage treatment plant. Since other plans have failed, expansion seems inevitable.

Hoffman said residents can expect to pay for the expansion.

"So basically we have a year and a half before we are forced by DEP (the state Department of Environmental Protection) to spend $25 million to $30 million to expand the sewer plant and double or triple your sewer fees," he said.

The city and the Upper Shenango Valley Water Pollution Control Authority have entered into a consent agreement with the DEP to have an updated sewer plan complete by July 31, 2003. Council approved the agreement Thursday.

The Upper Shenango Valley Water Pollution Control Authority oversees sewage treatment for Sharpsville, South Pymatuning Township, Patagonia and a portion of Brookfield. The sewage is treated at the Sharon plant.

The average resident pays between $27 and $30 every two months for service, according to 2001 city figures.

The sewer plant is taking in an excess of 2.2 million gallons a day of groundwater that must be removed. The water comes from cracked pipes that admit runoff from rain and snow during wet weather and from the drains of demolished houses that were not properly capped.

City officials had a plan to repair cracked pipes and locate places where excess water runs into the storm sewers hoping to significantly reduce the amount of inflow but only about 500,000 gallons were eliminated.

A plan to eliminate the excess inflow was supposed to be submitted to the DEP and finalized by the end of 2001, but the city didn't complete the plan in time and was given an extension.

Sharon also missed the Feb. 1, 2002 deadline for submission of the plan and paid a $6,700 penalty, Hoffman said.

You can e-mail Herald Staff Writer Kristen Garrett at kgarrett@sharonherald.com