HARRISVILLE — Frustrated borough business owners raised concerns over sewage rate increases approved last month by council after receiving their first bills since the rate increase went into effect.

Paul Lowers, owner of a detailing business, said the borough did the bare minimum in announcing the changes.

“None of these businesses knew this was going to happen,” Lowers said. “I had no idea the sewer rate was going on until I opened my mail and the bill was there.”

Lowers found that the borough followed procedures of publishing a public hearing in the newspaper, but stopped there.

“By law they have to put an ad in the paper, which they did,” Lowers said. “Not everybody gets the paper.”

Lowers' bill went from $55 to $232 after his business was estimated to use 1,600 gallons per day by the borough's engineering team.

“They classified it as a car wash, like cars come through here all day long,” Lowers said. “That's not what we do.”

After installing his own meter, which was offered by the borough as an alternative to the estimates, Lowers said he is using somewhere around 150 gallons per day, as he only washes between three and four cars daily — a small part of his cleaning process.

“My sewer bill is now my highest utility,” Lowers said of his most recent bill.

Lowers, who was a councilman for 10 years, said he was a member when the borough first tapped into the sewage system in Grove City. He said he has a lot of questions about the sewer fund.

“They need to correct the mess they started with the sewer system, and they need to give us answers on where this money is being spent and how this money is being spent,” Lowers said.

April Anschutz, council president, said the sewer fund has a reserve that is meant solely for pump repairs.

“There is a couple hundred thousand dollars in this account,” she said. “The money is there, it's just (that) nobody's touched it.”

Anschutz said the recent sewage rate increases have to do with businesses and homeowners paying their share toward the expansion of the system.

Anschutz said most residents pay about $58, and many businesses pay the same. However, she pointed out that only four businesses using water as a regular part of their workday saw the major increases. Of those, three owners paid the estimated $1,200 to install a meter.

According to Anschutz, the evaluation and changes were initiated by the previous council. She acknowledged there was some miscommunication, but argues borough employees reached out to businesses as they surveyed them on water using appliances. Information was sent to the engineers to generate the new rates based on estimated water usage.

“We have to take the people out of it and deal with just the business,” Anschutz said. “We don't want to raise their bill, but it's part of what has to happen.”

Moving forward, Anschutz said businesses with meters will be charged based on their actual usage. She expects updated rates to be available at the council's March 4 meeting. She added that new rates are being developed by engineers using DEP guidelines.

Nathan Shadeck, owner of a Laundromat and car wash, said after recovering from the shock of seeing his first bill based on the estimates, that the rate changes makes sense for the borough.

“That was a major increase that we weren't planning on. We were irritated that it got increased without any notice,” Shadeck said, adding he is working with the borough to find a solution. “We are entirely fine with paying our fair share.”

Like Lowers, Shadeck also paid to have a meter installed.

Anschutz said most affected businesses have been willing to work with the borough, adding that Harrisville, by law, makes no additional money from the sewage rate increase.

Lowers said he plans to attend the borough's next meeting and hopes others negatively impacted by the changes come and speak.

Anschutz said she welcomes public discussion about the changes and the transition.

WHAT: Harrisville Borough Council meeting on recent changes to the sewage ratesWHEN: 7 p.m. MondayWHERE: Municipal building, 117 S. Main St.