DUBOIS – Sandy Township’s sewage rates will increase for all customers, including those in the Slab Run and Sykesville areas.
It’s due to changes DuBois City made to meter Sandy Township, which increased the city’s charge to the township. The new monthly rates will be:
- $9.50 per 1,000 gallons for sewage customers with metered connections;
- $21.75 for a single person, unmetered residence; and
- $81.75 for unmetered residences with four or more persons.
At the previous township meeting, it was stated that the surcharge was due to inflow and infiltration.
Further, DuBois City, at prodding from the state Department of Environmental Protection, started charging Sandy Township based upon the flow entering the city’s sewage lines.
Sandy Township was previously billed based on meters located near the residences. However, it was stated that this was missing all the rain and other run-off that entered the sewage system.
The supervisors agreed to the surcharge to cover the increased costs in order to differentiate it from normal operations.
There was also optimism that it could be more easily altered as inflow and infiltration of non-sewage into the sewage system is remedied.
It was stated that if the increased cost was lumped into the regular rate, then it would be easier to overlook rolling the cost back as repairs take place.
In other business, Police Chief Don Routch reported that on March 12 three officers, with assistance from area emergency personnel and DuBois City police, prevented a suicide and saved a male at the Treasure Lake Dam.
After trying to negotiating for more than 30 minutes, the male jumped into the water, Routch said, and its temperature was 14 degrees.
According to Routch, township police officers jumped in after him. Officers were able to grab onto the hood of his sweatshirt before he was too far out.
Routch said the male and all three officers went to the Penn Highlands Hospital for hypothermia treatment.
The supervisors also approved a Pennsylvania liquor license transfer to Sandy Township for potential use at the Snappy’s Convenience Store near the Interstate 80 ramp.
