Credit: Tom Sofield/LevittownNow.com
The proposal by Aqua Pennsylvania to buy the Bucks County Water and Sewer Authority for $1.1 billion is officially dead.
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The Bucks County Water and Sewer Authority Board of Directors voted unanimously Wednesday to end talks with the for-profit company to sell its sewer system, a deal which has first proposed in 2020 and began more formal consideration this year. The water system was not up for sale.
The vote ended months of stiff opposition from ratepayers, activists, and municipal leaders. The nail in the coffin came earlier in the month when the three Bucks County Commissioners, who oversee the charter for the authority, publicly stated they were against the sale of the public asset to a for-profit company known for exorbitant rate hikes.
During their meeting, the board of directors moved forward with plans to obtain bonds to perform $210 million in infrastructure upgrades that are needed.
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Amid sale talks, it was revealed the authority is close to paying down existing debt and its systems are in good condition.
Bucks County Water and Sewer Authority CEO Benjamin Jones said the system needs “significant improvements” to address inflow and infiltration issues. The issues will require a 10-year program to update, rebuild, and replace infrastructure.
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The upgrade work will be done in accordance with a court-overseen consent agreement with the Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Department of Justice.
The consent agreements mean many upgrades will have to be done with lateral pipes connecting to the system on private property in residential lots and businesses, Jones said.
In addition, Jones said the authority will be talking with lawmakers about grant opportunities to assist residents and municipalities with repairs to lateral pipes on private property.
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The infrastructure work is expected to lead to rate increases, but they are anticipated to be lower than those under Aqua Pennsylvania.
The authority’s sewer system serves 100,000 customers across towns in Bucks County and a handful in Montgomery and Chester counties.
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