Cecil Township Municipal Authority raises rates
Customers of the Cecil Township Municipal Authority will see rate increases for sewage in 2023, as the authority addresses increased operating costs and other issues.
The monthly service charge will increase by about 22%, from $18 to $22, while the treatment charge of $8.50 per 1,000 gallons remains the same.
Additionally, customers of the authority’s Millers Run sewage treatment plan will pay a monthly $10 debt service fee to cover principal and interest on bond issues, monies used to construct the Millers Run system.
The new rates appear on all February billings.
Significant drivers for the authority’s rate increases stem from inflation, according to CTMA manager Michael Zrenchak.
Zrenchak said operating costs have increased as a result of higher costs for gasoline, electricity, natural gas, plant equipment, communications, chemicals, and maintenance items.
“The Cecil Township Municipal Authority has seen increased costs due to the supply chain issues, inflation of better than 8%, and other economic issues. This is not an action the board wanted to undertake but was necessary given the current economic situation,” Zrenchak said in an email.
The Cecil Township Municipal Authority operates and maintains three wastewater treatment plants – located in Cecil, Lawrence, and Bridgeville – and seven pumping stations.
Zrenchak also noted the township’s Brush Run and Southpointe areas are serviced by the Canonsburg-Houston Joint Sewer Authority, and account for approximate 50% of Cecil Township Municipal Authority customers.
The Canonsburg-Houston authority increased its service charge from $7.10 per 1,000 gallons to $8.66 per 1,000 gallons, a 21.97% increase.
Part of the rate increase will cover the increase in treatment costs from CHJA and to fund improvements to Cecil Township Municipal Authority’s aging infrastructure.
“The Cecil Township Municipal Authority is committed to maintaining reasonable rates for its customers while increasing operational efficiency and environmental quality,” said Zrenchak.