A standing-room-only crowd jammed Sharpsville High School's lecture room Tuesday in hopes of getting a better understanding of how much more they're going to be paying for sewer and water service in the near future.

Nearly 100 people were on hand for an informational meeting hosted by Sharpsville council to learn more about the changes coming down the line.

In addition to a discussion of a looming sewer-rate increase, which is being estimated at $14 a month on what is currently a $25-a-month bill for a typical residence, presentations were also made regarding options Sharpsville has with its aging water-treatment plant.

Monthly bills for residents regarding the treatment plant upgrade options could go from about $23 to $37 based on what option is ultimately chosen. Both figures are based on an average residential use of 5,000 gallons a month and are projected to take effect "sometime in 2004 or 2005," Councilman Alex Kovach said.

Mention of those cost increases, although necessary according to council members, didn't sit well with many in attendance, including Karen Podralski.

"There's a lot of retired people in the community, including my parents," said Mrs. Podralski of 385 S. Ninth St. "And I know my parents can't afford an $80 sewer and water bill a month."

Sharpsville is a member of the Upper Shenango Valley Water Pollution Control Authority, which sends its sewage to Sharon's treatment plant. 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.

The authority would be responsible for one-third of the $22 million upgrade and Sharpsville would be responsible for two-thirds, or roughly $4.9 million, of the authority's share. And it was that dreary news of a looming double-whammy for Sharpsville residents that brought out the crowd.

After a welcome and opening statements by Mayor Kenneth Robertson and Council President Jack Cardwell, presentations were made by Kovach and fellow Councilman Guy Moderelli, Consumers Pennsylvania Water Co. President Robert Liptak and Greenville Municipal Authority Board Chairman Dick Miller.

Kovach described the particulars surrounding the increase in sewer rates based on the state Department of Environmental Protection's mandate that Sharon improve its plant.

"DEP has already told Sharon they must improve the plant. And with us being tied into Sharon, we are one-third of that plant," Kovach said. "The thing that bothers me about it is, we have very little to say about what's going to happen to the plant, but we're going to have to help pay for it."

When asked if DEP had sent a representative to the meeting, Borough Manager Michael Wilson said the agency was aware of the meeting but "we got no response. And we're disappointed that nobody is here to answer your questions."

Kovach noted borough's water system is 100 years old and council already spent millions of dollars to replace lines over the years. He said the borough has made efforts to get the attention of state lawmakers, as well as attempting to get whatever grants are available or low-interest loans.

"We've examined every option that we possibly could to try to save money," he said. "These are costs that are going to be coming to our borough maybe next year or 2005. And we have no say so."

Residents might have a little say so when it comes to the aging water-treatment plant, said Moderelli, who presented cost comparisons based on whether council decides to upgrade the existing plant, put an addition on the existing plant or build a new plant. These four options, which range from a low of $1.8 million for upgrades to $3.2 million for a new plant, would raise residential rates from 46 percent to 61 percent.

Moderelli said the plant went into operation in 1954, but some of the lines in the borough have been in the ground since the early 1900s.

"We've made improvements to the plant over the years, in the millions of dollars," Moderelli said. "But the fact of the matter is, it's still 1950s technology. It's still good water, we have the best operators and it meets all current state and federal standards. The question is whether it will meet future standards."

Ultimately, Moderelli added, "We can't sit and do nothing."

Which is exactly what Liptak and Consumers might be hoping.

Liptak said Consumers, which serves 17 local municipalities, would offer the borough $5.124 million for the existing water system, but he later said all the numbers he presented were negotiable.

Consumers' average monthly water rate, he said is about $35, based on 5,000 gallon usage, about $12 more than Sharpsville's. As part of Consumers' offer, however, rate increases would be phased in with a pair of 25 percent increases, one 18 months after the deal is closed and a second 18 months after that.

Liptak also said Sharpsville's water-treatment plant would remain in service for at least five years and Consumers would contract with the borough to operate the system. Current employees, he added, would retain their status, benefits and pension for those five years but would also be given the opportunity to become an employee of Consumers at any time.

As for the advantages to the borough, Liptak said, "You get to share your problems" with 390,000 other customers whom Consumers serves statewide. The flipside is "You also get to share your good things."

And that was the tone of the presentation made by Miller, who hopes to have a feasibility study done regarding regionalizing a water authority among Sharpsville, Greenville and possibly Reynolds.

"We're kind of in the same situation in Greenville as you are," Miller said. "We're having trouble managing our facility and trouble maintaining capital for costs. One of the ways to solve those problems is to get together and have a larger unit or regionalizing."

Miller said it might take 60 to 90 days to obtain a grant for the study, which then could take another six months.

Cardwell concluded the meeting by saying council plans to address all these issues at its meeting at 7 p.m. May 12.

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

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