CLINTON TWP — A church's plan to erect its first building on Knoch Road is clogged by a sewage issue.

Before New Life Christian Ministries can build a 17,324-square-foot structure on the 20-acre lot, it must dig a 19-foot trench.

The Saxonburg Area Authority wants to provide sewage service to the site via a gravity feed.

However, that method will cost the church up to four times as much money, according to Pastor Chris Marshall.

Marshall did not have any costs estimates for the work.

He said a forced flow main is the preferable option.

"It's adding an extra expense without adding a benefit to anyone," Marshall said of the gravity feed.

Paul Cornetti, authority manager, disagrees.

He said a forced main would prevent any buildings in the vicinity of the church property to ever hook into the sewage system.

Marshall contends there will never be a need because only a few properties are along the stretch where roughly 775 feet of line would be installed from where the current main ends to the church's property line.

He pointed out the authority had the opportunity to extend the main in the early 1990s and chose not to.

"If there was not a need in the past, there's not a need in the present," Marshall said.

Cornetti argues the authority's policies are designed to account for future growth of the system.

Marshall said the affected land owners would never hook up because there is no requirement for them to do so.

"Our contention is there is not a long-term commercial value," he said.

Cornetti refutes Marshall's claim that a gravity feed was previously deemed unfeasible.

Cornetti said one complication with a forced main is that it would run through the township's right of way.

"We're not allowing anyone to run a sewer line through another property," he said.

While the authority board rejected the church's plan on Oct. 11, Clinton supervisors have no objection to the use of township land.

However, the supervisors on Oct. 12 emphasized their hands are tied.

"It's kind of a moot point for us," said supervisor Jim Halstead.

Supervisor Ed Boyd agrees with Marshall that there are safety issues installing a line along a trench.

Cornetti said there are always safety issues in such installations. He conceded the road could be damaged from the work being done.

Cornetti said the church has the option of building an on-lot system rather than making a connection to the authority's system.

Marshall said the church is trying to meet the necessary conditions to build.

"The church wants to be a good member of the community," he said.

Marshall said the church has three options at this point: agree to the authority's terms and install a gravity feed, bypass the authority by building an on-lot sewage disposal system or pursue "other legal resources."