Canonsburg council members to attend CHJA meeting

CANONSBURG – Several Canonsburg Borough Council members will attend the Canonsburg-Houston Joint Sewer Authority board meeting June 28 to discuss a planned expansion of the treatment plant that will dramatically increase bills for customers.
The council members, Eric Chandler, Harold Bowman and Fran Coleman, have received phone calls from borough residents who are concerned after learning their bills could more than double if a rate increase goes into effect to fund the expansion project at the sewage treatment plant in Cecil Township.
The state Department of Environmental Protection is requiring the authority to increase the plant’s capacity to accommodate residential and commercial growth in the area.
The sewer system serves residents of Canonsburg and Houston and Chartiers, Cecil and North Strabane townships.
Initially the project, which has been in the planning stages for about 10 years, was slated to cost $42 million, but is now expected to exceed $50 million.
Chartiers, North Strabane and Cecil officials have agreed to go to Washington County Court to seek an injunction to stop the rates from going into effect in July. Several officials said they want a better explanation of how bond money borrowed for the project is being spent.
Coleman said council members want to get an update on the project and to discuss how the additional expansion costs will impact residents.
Canonsburg-Houston Joint Authority, which has been operating for more than 50 years, serves about 16,685 households.
The meeting will be held in the council chambers of Canonsburg Municipal Building.