Area’s growth concerns sewer authority
REPUBLIC – Members of the Redstone Township Sewer Authority are concerned that there has been more growth than anticipated in a section of Luzerne Township that will be tapping into the Redstone sewage treatment plant. The current treatment plant was designed with extra capacity to take in the equivalent of 502 dwelling units (EDU’s) from Luzerne Township while still leaving enough capacity for sewer line extensions to several Redstone Township communities, including Filbert and Orient.
“They may be up to 550 EDU’s, or more,” said authority member Ray Paris. “Pretty soon we’re going to be at capacity. They may have to put a moratorium on building.”
Paris said it is also possible that the Luzerne customers may be liable for a portion of the debt service on the plant that was to be paid by Redstone customers, if the Luzerne expansion goes over the allotted capacity.
Meanwhile, the authority is continuing to look into the possibility of buying a building for its offices. The authority rents office space on Main Street in Republic, but there have been problems there with a leaky roof and gasoline fumes from a garage at the rear of the building.
Several sites are under consideration, including the American Legion Building in Republic, the former National City Bank and several other buildings on Main Street in Republic.
“We’re going to make a decision on something very shortly,” said board member Robert Shaw.
The authority also heard from a man asking to have his water and sewer service turned back on while he makes payments on a past due amount. The man said he had not lived in his house since declaring bankruptcy in September 2005 following a heart attack that left him unemployed and that the bank had owned the structure for the past several years.
The man said he was recently given permission from the bank to take possession of the house.
The authority agreed to take a partial lump sum payment from the man and arrange to have his water and sewerage reconnected while they look into the legalities of the situation. Members of the authority said the man might not be liable for any of the bill from the period in which the bank was in possession of the house due to the bankruptcy proceedings.