Sewerage authority modifies regulations
BULLSKIN TWP. – The Bullskin Township/Connellsville Township Joint Sewerage Authority modified its rules and regulations Wednesday in regards to having property owners hire their own contractors and the type of taps involved with new construction. After briefly discussing the matter with Glenn Wolfe, engineer for Widmer Engineering, the authority agreed it would be in the best interest of individual property owners and developers to hire their own contractor to install sewer taps in addition to having the contractor provide a certificate of insurance.
As far as the method of tapping, the authority decided on having the contractor use a saddle pipe since it is easier to fit into the main line.
The changes were made in conjunction with an inquiry last month by Kevin Mazurik of Connellsville, who approached the authority about a sewer line extension on property he purchased on Norton Boulevard in Connellsville Township.
Wolfe said the fee would be up to Mazurik under the authority’s amended ordinance, while Carl Lewis, authority executive director, estimated the cost to range between $800 and $1,000 to install 80 feet of sewer line.
Pat Stefano, authority chairman, said the authority based its decision on the fact that there would be no further taps on the line.
“There’s no reason for us to bear a portion of that cost,” said Stefano.
Wolfe said after reviewing the authority’s rules and regulations he found that the $1,200 tap-in fee was excluded from the cost to extend a sewer line.
Once Mazurik has the line installed, Wolfe said the authority would then take it over with his permission as part of their sewage system.
In the event Lewis runs into making excessive trips to construction sites in the future to inspect taps, Stefano said the authority would most likely have to increase its tap-in fee to cover those costs.
Turning to other business, Lewis reported the authority billed 859 customers in February and received $36,251 in payments with one tap-in still not paid, leaving a nine percent delinquency.