East Deer commissioners mull water rate increase

While believing the township is being overcharged on water rates, the East Deer commissioners will consider a rate adjustment at their February meeting to brace for an increase from Tarentum Borough, its water supplier.

During a Thursday meeting, commissioners Chairman Tony Taliani gave his colleagues information on what Tarentum currently charges the township for water, what Tarentum soon will be charging East Deer and what the township charges its customers.

Effective March 1, costs will climb by $1.30 per 1,000 gallons, which is about a 29% increase for East Deer. East Deer buys water from Tarentum in bulk and sells it to its residents, businesses and customers.

The commissioners are to review the information Taliani distributed Thursday and come up with an adjustment proposal to consider passing at their Feb. 8.

“The most pressing thing right now is we have to adjust our rate schedule,” he said.

The municipalities entered an agreement in the 1970s for Tarentum to sell water in bulk to East Deer. The contract prohibits cost increases of more than 3 cents a year in most cases, but a loophole to the deal is to raise the rates in both municipalities by the same amount, which Tarentum Council did in October.

It’s about an 11% increase for Tarentum customers.

The contract is auto-renewed every 15 years. The current contract lasts until 2032.

Tarentum officials say the increase is needed to help salvage Tarentum’s aged water system that, according to the state, requires about $15 million in work. The borough has had multiple water breaks within the past couple of months, including one Friday, and most of the system’s pipes are 100 years old.

“They sort of seem to make it sound like they expect us to rebuild the waterlines in their (borough). I’m sorry, but I disagree with that,” Taliani said. “We’re responsible to rebuild the waterlines in our township, not in Tarentum Borough.”

Compared to other rates in the area, Taliani believes East Deer is being charged too much.

“My feelings are very well known. I feel we’re being overcharged, but we’re under contract. … We need to pass new rates in February because these new rates take effect March 1.”