CONNOQUENESSING TWP — The Connoquenessing Township Sewer Authority officially ceased to exist on Wednesday, Sept. 3, as the township’s board of supervisors voted to dissolve it during their meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 3.

The decision comes off the heels of the township voting at a meeting in July to submit an Act 537 sewage plan to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.

According to township solicitor Andrew Menchyk, the sewer authority — which consisted of only four members at the time of dissolution due to a vacant seat — had served its purpose.

“The Connoquenessing Township Sewer Authority is a creature of the existing 537 plan that was passed back in 2019,” Menchyk said. “That plan required the creation of an authority to develop, operate and maintain a sewage collection system. With the plan update that was recently approved and submitted to DEP, there is nothing currently as far as business before the sewer authority.”

The board of supervisors also voted to dismiss the sewer authority’s debts before dissolution.

Among residents of the township, public sentiment for the sewer system plan faces a lot of pushback. Roadside signs have been posted throughout the township with slogans such as “Fair plan, not their plan,” and “It’s not affordable.”

In July, the board of supervisors had voted two-to-one, with Angela Fleeger dissenting, to approve a plan which would involve the Saxonburg Area Authority, even though the township was granted a 60-day extension by the DEP in late May. The extension would have given the township until late August to make a decision.

During the meeting, resident William Long criticized the board for not using the full 60-day extension and for not taking into account all four of the project alternatives suggested by engineering firm Herbert, Rowland & Grubic. These included a partnership with Pennsylvania American Water, which last year absorbed the Butler Area Sewer Authority.

“You were given the 60 days to go out there and take a look at something that’s going to work,” Long said. “Do you know how many businesses along Route 68 are already hooked into American Water? You can tie in to American Water and make this palatable to most of the people in the township through the Route 68 corridor. Go to American Water and get this thing settled. Use your head.”

During Wednesday night’s meeting, supervisors also announced the township had begun mailing letters to all residents within the proposed Act 537 plan, notifying them that HRG could soon enter their land to perform surveying for the future sewer project.