North Huntingdon sewage authority maintains monthly rates, raises tap-in fees

North Huntingdon residents served by the township’s municipal authority will not be hit with an increase in sewage treatment rates for the fiscal year ending April 30, 2022, but there will be a $200 increase in tap-in fees.

The monthly rates for residential customers will remain at $52.30 per month for the eighth consecutive year, as part of the $9.9 million budget the North Huntingdon Township Municipal Authority recently approved for the fiscal year that began on May 1. A separate $8.8 million five-year capital improvements plan was approved, said Michael Branthoover, authority general manager.

Tap-in fees, however, were increased to $4,900 per equivalent dwelling unit, effective July 1. The fee, based on guidelines and requirements established in the state Municipal Authorities Act, is reviewed by the authority’s consulting engineer as part of the budget process to ensure those fees are adjusted accordingly, Branthoover said.

About 25% of the operating expenditures are allocated for the $2.53 million it pays the Western Westmoreland Municipality Authority to treat sewage from the township authority’s customers that are served by Western Westmoreland’s treatment plant along Route 993 in North Huntingdon. Western Westmoreland serves parts of six municipalities, including Irwin, North Irwin, North Huntingdon and Penn Township.

With the money in its five-year capital improvement plan, the authority expects to spend $3.6 million and do the second phase of the sewer line replacement project in the Five Pines Road area and plan the fourth phase of the Markvue Manor sewer line replacement project.

The authority serves about 12,350 residential and commercial customers. With 23 full-time employees, it operates and maintains more than 260 miles of sewage lines.