If borough residents aren't interested just yet, it likely won't take long for them to get interested as upcoming decisions about the community's sewer and water systems could raise residential rates dramatically.

A public information meeting has been scheduled for 7 p.m. Tuesday in Sharpsville High School's lecture room, giving residents an opportunity to discuss those possible changes.

Based on plans being considered by council, the average residential sewer bill could increase $13.80 a month, according to Borough Manager Michael Wilson, while the average rate for water could increase anywhere from $11.61 to $14.01 a month.

Sharpsville is a member of the Upper Shenango Valley Water Pollution Control Authority, which sends its sewage to Sharon's plant for treatment. And because of state mandates forged from the Clean Streams Act, Sharon has to upgrade its plant, improvements that have a projected cost of about $22 million, Wilson said.

"Because our sewage ultimately goes to Sharon, a cost share comes back in the other direction," he said. "Sharon would pay two-thirds and the authority would pay one-third."

Sharpsville, Wilson added, would be responsible for two-thirds of the authority's share, or roughly $4.9 million.

Council members, including President Jack Cardwell, are well aware of the double-whammy looming over their residents, Wilson said, and are making efforts to see if anything can be done to avoid such prohibitive cost increases to the community.

"The council president and council have written letters to Congressman English and to our state representatives," Wilson said. "What we would like to see happen is a relaxation of the Clean Streams Act, which is the driving force behind this."

In a followup to the letters, Wilson said there was a preliminary meeting with representatives from English's office, and relaxation of the act "was one of the issues we discussed."

And one of the issues that will be discussed at the public meeting next week.

"What we're trying to do is advise the public of what's going on so they're aware if things remain the same and we're unsuccessful in our efforts to do something different, then they should anticipate this type of an increase," Wilson said.

The borough has several options regarding the antiquated water plant, which Wilson said needs upgraded to come into compliance with regulations also being driven by the Clean Streams Act.

"Our choices are to either rehab the existing 50-year-old facility, do a rehab and improvements to the existing facility or build a new treatment plant," Wilson said. "And if we decide to build a new plant, we're looking at multiple options."

Options, he added, that could cost anywhere from $3 million to $3.5 million, at least based on initial estimates.

There are two other possibilities, Wilson said.

One is to sell the plant. He said, "Consumers Pennsylvania Water Co. will be at the meeting to make a presentation regarding their desire to purchase our water system."

The second includes a proposal, which will be presented by Dick Miller of the Greenville Municipal Authority, to seek a cooperative effort from three communities. That proposal asks Sharpsville, Reynolds and Greenville to consider forming a joint regional water authority, which would then buy and run all three water plants in those respective communities.

You can e-mail Herald Staff Writer Jeff Greenburg at jgreenburg@sharonherald.com