West Deer and Indiana Township residents will see a 47% sewage cost increase from the cost of the Allegheny Valley Joint Sewage Authority’s treatment plant expansion.

The Deer Creek Drainage Basin Authority board passed the new rate in November.

The new rate will take effect in April.

The Deer Creek authority provides sewage service to customers in West Deer and Indiana Township, along with a few in Harmar and Hampton. Deer Creek’s sewage system is connected to the Allegheny Valley Joint Sewage Authority’s system and, ultimately, is treated at AVJSA’s plant near the Hulton Bridge in Harmar.

Deer Creek receives an invoice bi-annually from the AVJSA for its share of operating and maintenance costs. Deer Creek passes along the cost to its customers.

Deer Creek authority manager Lynn Biery said the rates it charges its customers are based on expenses Deer Creek needs to cover.

The last time Deer Creek increased rates was February 2014. Those rates were expected to remain stable for five years , according to the release. But Deer Creek officials said management was able to keep those rates in effect for nearly eight years.

“We try to keep our expenses down and watch carefully,” Biery said. “We didn’t like to pass this along to customers.”

Deer Creek will pay its share of $44 million of the sewage treatment plant expansion through a bond issue payment.

The expansion originally was priced at $35 million but rose to $102.5 million. Four municipalities — Springdale, Springdale Township, Harmar and Cheswick — are served by the Allegheny Valley Joint Sewage Authority. Parts of West Deer, Hampton, Fox Chapel and Richland also receive service directly from the Allegheny Valley authority.

Deer Creek authority customers will pay a $60 bi-monthly debt service charge that will pay for the plant expansion and a $37.33 minimum bi-monthly operating and maintenance charge up to 5,000 gallons. There will be a $6 charge for every additional 1,000 gallons used.

The current rate for customers is $37.33 bi-monthly for up to 5,000 gallons and $56 quarterly for up to 8,000 gallons. There is a $5 charge for every additional 1,000 gallons used.

As recently as May 9, 2020, the cost of the plant expansion was estimated at $50 million to $60 million.

The Allegheny Valley Joint Sewage Authority plans to increase its treatment capacity from the current 5.5 million gallons per day to 8 million gallons by 2023.

Some municipalities already have taken steps to handle the sewage increase.

Harmar taxpayers will see a 47% hike in sewage fees that will take place March 1. Of that $11 figure, $3.50 is for regular sewage treatment and the other $7.50 is for the plant expansion.

In Cheswick, Council President Michael Girardi said the borough voted to raise its rates late last year. A flat fee was added to pay toward the plant’s expansion.

The usage rates there rose slightly, from $3.40 to $3.50 per 1,000 gallons. The flat fee going toward the plant amounts to $314.48 annually per household.

Springdale Mayor John Molnar said the borough will review at the end of the year if it will be necessary to continue to raise sewage rates for next year’s budget. He said the borough raised its rates to $11.25 per 1,000 gallons.

West Deer Township Manager Daniel Mator said the township and Deer Creek have been working together to create a program to provide relief for residents who need it for the rates. Mator said the program will take awhile before it’s up and running, as officials still are working through details.

“The sewer rate increase is unfortunate, but it was the only way to cover the bonds needed to pay for necessary and mandated upgrades to the sewer facilities,” he said.

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