CONNOQUENESSING TWP — Township supervisors are hopeful the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection will approve an extension allowing them to review further options for its Act 537 sewage plan.

During a meeting on Wednesday, May 14, dozens of residents filed into the municipal building to voice their displeasure with one of the current options —a $53 million plan with a cost of $252 per month to users upon the project’s completion.

“It makes no sense. It is not logical to go down these paths of a price tag like this,” said Dianna Edwards. “You would never put your own personal family in that kind of financial strain. You would never put your own business in that kind of personal strain. Why in the world would you do it to everybody else?”

According to the plan, the user fees were estimated at $252 per month upon project completion, assuming no grant funds are provided. The plan notes the phased project would allow the township to use a combination of PENNVEST loans, grants from various sources, other loans and private bonds.

But until the plan moves forward, it’s unclear how much in loans, grants and other assistance will be available to potentially decrease the user fee.

“There is no real breakdown of costs for homeowners to plan for,” said Mark Williams, who is running for an open seat on the township’s board of supervisors.

Amid the complaints, many of which describe the proposal as fiscally irresponsible, supervisors shared that Pennsylvania American Water has said it can bring more options to the table.

At last month’s meeting, the board voted to request a 30- to 60-day stay for the purposes of allowing Pennsylvania American Water to provide Herbert, Rowland & Grubic more information regarding additional alternatives. HRG, which was contracted to handle engineering and planning, requested the extension immediately following that meeting, Supervisor Angela Fleeger said.

If approved, the deadline would be pushed back until Aug. 20 — instead of June 21 — and would give the board a range of available options before making a decision that would impact hundreds of residents.

“There are multiple options that are available right now,” Fleeger said. “But again, we have more options to explore with Pennsylvania American Water. We don’t know yet until we hear back from them.”

At a meeting April 14 between all relevant parties, a Pennsylvania American Water representative assured supervisors that two months would be enough time to investigate solutions, Fleeger said.

In an email two days later, the department said it was in the process of granting the township’s request for an extension.

“I’m optimistic at this point that they will give us that two month extension,” Fleeger said. “I feel that in order to make the right decision for the township, we really need the rest of the information.”

With more options ahead, the township already has several options available.

Options include regional treatment at Saxonburg Area Authority or through Pennsylvania American Water via the former Butler Area Sewer Authority system, as well as the construction of a centralized wastewater treatment plant located in Connoquenessing Township.

Pennsylvania's Act 537 requires municipalities to submit a sewage facilities plan to the Department of Environmental Protection that addresses both current and future needs.

In June 2023, the township received a letter stating it was in violation of state law for creating a statutory nuisance by failing to implement a public sewage system. While supervisors have taken several steps toward compliance, there have been numerous hurdles along the way.

While voting to advertise the current Act 537 plan last month, supervisors encouraged residents to provide written comments that would be sent to HRG.

Fleeger opened the meeting by trying to reassure residents that cost is a significant factor when discussing plans.

“(Cost) is a top concern of the board of supervisors,” Fleeger said during the meeting. “We know that this needs to be an affordable solution, and this is a very tough decision we have to make on behalf of the township.”

If the township misses the plan submission deadline, it could face penalties — most notably fines — though it’s unclear how much those could total.

In the meantime, supervisors are attempting to read through residents’ written comments to provide relevant answers. It’s a process that has and will continue to keep the supervisors occupied.

“I’m afraid to put a final number on it, but I can tell you there have been many (comments) to go through,” Fleeger said.

Some residents, however, questioned if their best interests were being considered.

“Public sewage is about two things — the area’s being served and doing so in the least amount of capital cost provided while maintaining peoples’ properties,” said resident Laura Mason. “Instead, you are being misled to take a plan that is the most disruptive, the furthest away and contains the most unknowns.”

Eagle assignment editor Tracy Leturgey contributed to this report.