Thirteen municipalities in Bucks County have been warned: Let the Bucks County Water and Sewer Authority know the status of your development projects and corrective plans for sewer infrastructure repairs or face a potential moratorium that would halt construction on homes and businesses in your community.
Repairing the pipes could cost the municipalities hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars. But if they don't, they may be flushing new economic growth down those leaky drains. Dozens of development projects, many of which these towns count on to drive tax revenue and that started after the pandemic eased, may be delayed or canceled.
The letter was sent to the BCWSA's retail customers where the BCWSA owns and operates that municipality's sewer system - Bensalem, Langhorne and Middletown - and the following wholesale customers who own their own sewer pipes that connect to the BCWSA - Bristol Township, Falls, Hulmeville, Langhorne Manor, Lower Makefield, Lower Southampton, Newtown Borough and Township, Northampton and Penndel.
Would Aqua deal have helped?
Two years ago, Aqua Pennsylvania offered to buy the BCSWA's sewer system for $1.1 billion, but the county, which would have received the funds, voted the proposal down because residents protested that selling the sewer system to a private company beholding to its stockholders would raise their sewer rates. As part of the deal, Aqua offered to fix some municipal sewer lines. Now the municipalities must pay for this work on their own.
Three of the largest municipalities that received the letter each have many developments in the works: Lower Makefield, Northampton and Newtown Township will receive only 3, 8 and 7 miscellaneous EDUs respectively, with Newtown Township will share its seven with Newtown Borough, according to the letter it received.
[I have net seen the letter sent to Newtown Township!]
#NewtownPA Township HAS a plan: "Sewer Authority Representatives Discuss Proposed Sewage Treatment Plant" (VIDEO)
Related Content: