Sewage rates may increase in Fallowfield
Sewage rates may be going up in Fallowfield Township to fund an upcoming sewage project.
Fallowfield Township Supervisor Bruce Smith said Wednesday a meeting was held with the Charleroi Sewage Authority to discuss financing and billing impact of a potential combination of restructuring debt service and a sewage project to solve a stormwater overflow problem at the Maple Creek facility.
Residents currently pay $26.50 for previous debt service. Smith said the sewage authority is looking for feedback, though ultimately the township has no input on what the sewage authority does, said Smith.
One option would increase residents’ bills an additional $40 to $50 per month on top of the $26.50 per month for a previous debt service.
Smith said another option the authority discussed would be to refinance the old debt, which would drop the original debt service payment from $26.50 to $8 per month, but residents would still have the additional $40 to $50 monthly increase.
“The authority hasn’t made any decision. They are looking for feedback. I say put it all in their hands,” Smith said.
The Redds Mill Bridge project on Zippay Road and a road project at Rogers Manor has to wait a little longer. “We need to sit down with our township engineer and discuss these projects before we make any decisions, ” Supervisor Wilbur Caldwell said at Wednesday’s meeting of the board.
Supervisor Earl Sadler disagreed. He said the Redds Mill Bridge project has been put off for four years and it shouldn’t delay any longer.
He added the bridge was to be inspected by the township engineer and Caldwell stopped it.
Caldwell admitted he did stop the inspection, but added it was just a 24-hour wait, until Wednesday’s meeting was held.
“That bridge needs to be inspected, so that we know where we stand. We need to know if it is a repair, a weight limit option or a repair that needs the road closed. If there is a weight limit option we will need to order signs,” said Sadler. He added that the start of school is fast approaching and if weight limit would be imposed, school buses would need to be notified.
The board approved a motion to direct Chester Engineering to inspect the bridge on Zippay Road with costs not to exceed $1,500. Supervisors continued the meeting to act on the bridge projects until 4 p.m. Aug. 11.
In other news, Smith said that he will be meeting with Mon Valley EMS, Bearcat Ambulance and the Washington County Emergency Services to discuss the ambulance territory division in Fallowfield Township. Smith said that they will be discussing the two interchanges on Interstate 70 which may be given dual coverage between Bearcat Ambulance and Mon Valley EMS for faster response time.
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