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Bucks County Commissioners Have Lots of Questions for BCWSA Regarding Sewer Sale to Aqua PA

Bucks County Commissioners Have Lots of Questions for BCWSA Regarding Sewer Sale to Aqua PA | Newtown News of Interest | Scoop.it

The Bucks County commissioners want to know more about the proposed $1.1 billion sale of the Bucks County Water and Sewer Authority’s sewer system to the private company Aqua Pennsylvania (background: “BCWSA & Aqua Host Meeting With Municipal Partners”)

 

The commissioners attached a list of approximately 50 questions that they, county staff members and residents would like answered by Aug. 29. [See the list of questions.]

 

While the commissioners wait for a response, several municipalities in Bucks and Montgomery counties have already made up their minds that the deal is not a good one for ratepayers and they’ve passed resolutions putting their opposition in writing (read “#NewtownPA Supervisors Approve Letter Opposing Bucks County Water and Sewer Authority Sewer Sale”). Now some are joining a consortium to fight the proposal legally, if need be.

 

In their letter, the county commissioners questioned how much debt the authority has. They also questioned whether the authority is bound to give the leftover funds to the county, or would that be up to the discretion of the BCWSA Board of Directors.

 

The commissioners also wanted to know what the BCWSA rates have been for the past five year and how much rates would rise in 5 and 10 year increments if the system stayed with the BCWSA and if it is sold to Aqua.

 

And they questioned how the authority would continue its water operations, that are valued at approximately $300 million, going forward once its larger sewer system would be sold. "Will water rates need to increase to allow the authority to function successfully?"

 

They also wanted to know about the BCWSA's maintenance needs, estimated at $245 million, not including repairs needed to sewer laterals to private homes.

 

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