REEDSVILLE — The town is making progress with its water infiltration problems, according to Mayor Jason Titus.
The water, called I&I, for inflow and infiltration, is storm or ground water that enters the sewer system through leaky or cracked pipes, manholes or down spouts, sump pumps or improperly connected storm drains.
Titus said the town is continuing smoke testing and fixed problems at five homes where gutters and down spouts added to the I&I. He said it also repaired two outside floor drains and several leaky man holes.
At a recent meeting, Reedsville Council members indicated they would have to increase sewer bills a minimum of 45 percent. The current metered rate is $50.61. The new estimated metered rate would be $73.78. The unmetered rate for Arthurdale customers is $67.72; that rate would increase to an estimated $98.92.
The rate hike is due to an increase in I&I that makes its way to the Masontown sewage treatment plant. Reedsville doesn’t have a plant. It pays Masontown a bulk rate for sewage treatment. Masontown is raising its rates to Reedsville because it is treating more inflow than it is paid for.
Arthurdale is outside Reedsville town limits but its sewage goes through the town’s meter.
Titus said the town knows where much of the I&I is coming from but not all of it. He said a 660-foot line in Arthurdale must be replaced.
Once this is done, it will eliminate a large portion of the I&I problem, according to Titus. He said the town is also working on I&I problems at Brandon Acres.
Masontown Mayor Roxie Turner said she believes the Reedsville Council and mayor are working to solve the problem and, “their I&I has come down some.” She said the I&I problem has existed for a long time.
“We knew there was a lot of I&I coming through,” Turner said. “But we couldn’t bill for it. The old meters were not billable meters. The new plant that went in last August has billable meters.”
Turner said Masontown wasn’t notified when Arthurdale was hooked up. This hookup added more I&I to the system, she said. “We were over our daily limit with the [Department of Environmental Protection] every day,” she said. “That is why we had to have a new sewage plant.
“We skimped and scraped over 30 years for our I&I,” Turner said. “We knew by 2020 we would have to have the problem under control. Since August we have used $100,000 for I&I.”
She said two-thirds of the I&I going through the plant comes from Reedsville.
The federal DEP is requiring towns to have I&I out of their sewer systems by 2020. The government made towns aware of the requirement and deadline several years ago.
“It’s a sad thing for little towns like Reedsville, Arthurdale and Masontown when the state comes in and tells you you have to do it and you don’t have the money,” Turner said about the I&I problem.
Turner said Masontown raised Reedsville’s sewage rate only twice in 17 years.
“Our accountant said she believes we can break even with the current rate hike,” she said. “If we can’t make it with this increase, we will have to go back again.” Turner said the State Public Service Commission (PSC) is expected to release its final decision about the rate hike Monday.
At their most recent meeting, Reedsville Council members said the town would “just break even” with the 45 percent hike. “We’ll have to raise our rates over the 45 percent we have to pay Masontown,” Titus said.
He said this would result in higher sewer bills for Reedsville and Arthurdale customers.
