Aug 21, 2002 By Christine Haines 2 min read

BROWNSVILLE – The Brownsville Municipal Authority Tuesday voted to release a performance bond posted by the Consolidated Coal Co. for a pump station constructed to serve the company docks in Alicia. The bond will be replaced by a $20,000 maintenance bond good for a 10-year period ending in April 2010. The authority’s solicitor, Ernest DeHaas, said the bond will protect the authority’s interest in the pump station installed by the coal company six years ago. The pump station serves the docks and several nearby homes. It has now been turned over to the authority.

The authority has not received a response from the Pennsylvania American Water Co. to a letter sent by the authority regarding surcharge fees for treating sludge from the water treatment plant. The authority is still awaiting payment from the water company for sludge treatment from 2001 to date. DeHaas said the authority has the right to impose the surcharge for the excess sludge treatment, with or without approval from the water company.

Authority member Henry Vulcan noted the increased cost of sludge disposal over the past several months. Authority chairman Fred Provance said the expense should balance out once payments start coming in from the water company.

The authority received two letters requesting donations, one from the Brownsville Area Revitalization Corporation, the other from the Pennsylvania Municipal Authority Association. DeHaas advised the authority it would not be proper to join BARC, since it is an authority. The authority also voted against giving a donation to the PMAA.

A Hiller property owner, Richard Peteritis, sent a letter to the authority regarding sewage overflow at 608 High St., where he operates a business. A video camera inspection did show a cracked line in that area. Plant operator Jim Knisley said there are no camera records prior to when Peteritis began filling the back end of his property. Further testing is needed to determine who is responsible for the cracked line.

Provance said the authority has received information about a backflow check valve system for homeowners. The information is available at the authority office for anyone interested in it, though the authority has no direct involvement with the system or the company.