An unpaid bill is gathering interest at lightning speed as the Greenville Municipal Authority is debating whether or not to pay up.

The bill is from Basic Services, Inc., the company that installed the authority's new raw water pump in November.

After the company installed the pump, it malfunctioned, leaving the borough without a reliable supply of water. Nearly a month of boil and conserve advisories followed.

After two malfunctions, a complete rebuild of the pump and other delays, Basic Services sent a bill for more than $37,000. The authority board sent a check for the original contract price of $23,000.

Basic Services has sent a new bill -- with late charges and added fees -- for the balance.

The bill went up $6,000 between April 21 and 28 alone, board President Dick Miller said Tuesday night. The past-due balance is now about $58,000.

A letter sent by Basic Services said it was reinstating some charges it had waived previously, resulting in the higher bill.

The company is also charging the authority board $1,500 a month in interest, said board Treasurer Janet Hurlbert. Hurlbert said the authority is also being charged for the bill being turned over to a collection agency.

The board decided to pay the company the contract price on the recommendation of its engineers.

The fight over who is responsible for the pump's failures is ongoing, said authority Superintendent Bill Brady.

"Basic Services did nothing wrong as I see it," Brady said, referring to the company billing for the services it performed.

The question, he said, revolves around the pump itself.

"Was the pump itself wrong? Was the pump designed wrong?" he asked.

Board member Dr. Richard Brown said the matter very well could end up in court.

The authority board received a payment of $13,667 from its insurance company this month to settle one of the claims that resulted from the monthlong water crisis.

Miller said two other claims are pending with the insurance company.