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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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State
Rep. Jesse White
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White, Stout: agreement in Independence, Mt. Pleasant water service talks
HARRISBURG, Oct. 19 – State Rep. Jesse White, D-Washington/Beaver/Allegheny, and Sen. Barry Stout, D- Allegheny/Beaver/Greene/Washington/Westmoreland, today announced that a tentative agreement has been reached among all parties that will result in an extension of water service into portions of Independence and Mount Pleasant townships in Washington County, saving affected residents thousands of dollars each to tie in.
"Area residents had been seeking water service for years, but having to shoulder the entire cost of running the lines to their neighborhoods was beyond the financial ability of many homeowners," White said.
White and Stout worked to bring the residents together with the Pennsylvania American Water Co., the Pennsylvania Office of Consumer Advocate and the Public Utility Commission for meetings to explore proposals to bring in the water service without overburdening customers with huge tap-in fees.
Under the agreement, which is under review by an administrative law judge, Pennsylvania-American would assume the expected $3 million cost of installing the main water line. Customers would be responsible for the lateral line to their home, a one-time application fee of $30 and their monthly water service bill.
The lawmakers are hopeful the law judge's decision and a final review by the PUC will be completed this fall, with construction to be completed by the end of the year.
The areas that would gain new water service are Martin Avenue in Independence Township, and, in Mt. Pleasant Township, Skyline Drive, Washington Avenue, and Elm, Woodland and Bowen roads.
In addition, the agreement will bring water service to the Meadowcroft Rockshelter and Museum of Rural Life, a National Historical Landmark showcasing the oldest known place of human habitation in North America.
The latest understanding follows earlier success White and Stout had in bringing water into to other portions of Washington and Hanover townships. They said the latest agreement represents one step in their ongoing campaign to bring clean water to more residents in rural portions of their districts.
"Having clean water available is essential to the health of our constituents, and that's why Senator Stout and I worked hard and persistently to bring a solution about," said White. "This is an example of government officials at the local and state levels effectively working with residents to identify a need, recognize the challenges, and develop a plan to address those challenges to bring about the desired results for the people."
"Many of these residents have been seeking water service for as long as I have been in office but for many reasons the time was not right until today," said Stout. "This agreement will allow clean water to reach their homes at a reasonable cost. I am hopeful that the final review and decision process will be completed soon so that construction of the water lines can finally begin."
Residents can visit www.oca.state.pa.us and then click on "What's New?" to read the proposed settlement online or they can obtain a copy and ask questions by calling the Office of the Consumer Advocate at 800-684-6560.
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CONTACT: Jay Purdy |