Export takes payment plans off the table for delinquent sewage accounts

The grace period is over for Export residents with delinquent sewage bills.

The most recent round of 42 letters, which will be sent to borough residents with outstanding sewage bills in the next week or so, no longer offers the option to reduce that debt through a payment plan.

“We originally offered the payment plan to delinquent accounts over a certain amount,” borough Solicitor Wes Long said. “And, by paying it, they could get a reduction on their overall sewer bill.”

The idea was to reduce the number of delinquent borough sewage accounts and offer an incentive to bring in most of what the borough was owed.

Elements of the payment plan and bill discount had been offered in 2012 and again starting in 2018.

Borough Secretary Tonia Writt said, while the approach did work in some cases, the number of delinquent accounts continued to rise.

Those who have fallen behind on payment plans, and new delinquent accounts, will no longer be eligible for the plan or the bill reduction.

Delinquent accounts will be subject to water shutoff by the Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County.

“People are going to have to comply with the law,” Long said.

The authority’s resident manager, Michael Kukura, said on Wednesday that MAWC has not yet resumed residential shutoffs.