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Centre Daily Times February 8 2005
Meter installations under way
By Lara Brenckle and Nichole Dobo
"Less than a month into its water meter installation project, Bellefonte is beginning to reap the benefits of a monitored system.
Recently, a homeowner had his meter installed at 10 a.m. Shortly after it was turned on, according to Borough Manager Ralph Stewart, the homeowner called the borough to say it was malfunctioning. He hadn't used any water, but the meter was ticking up usage, he said.
When crews went to check the home at 2 p.m., they discovered a toilet in the basement was running. In just four hours, it had used 900 gallons of water.
"Once it was shut off, the meter stopped turning," Stewart said. "In some ways, that's exactly what we're looking for. We're not trying to alter anyone's lifestyle. We're just trying to see where our extra water is going."
The project, however, has been controversial because many residents believe they have a right to free water. As a nod to that feeling, the Bellefonte Borough Authority held a public information session last week to obtain more information and to ask questions about the project.
About 50 customers attended the public forum Feb. 1, and many were worried about the cost of updating old plumbing to accommodate the water meter system, a project the authority estimates will cost between $1.5 million and $2 million.
Frank Clemson, owner of a 144-year-old bed and breakfast in Bellefonte, said his water hook-up is in a hard-to-access place in his kitchen. It may be necessary to "tear out the whole set of cabinets and maybe even the kitchen sink" to install a meter, he said.
Walter Peterson, president of the authority, said that the borough would look at these types of situations on a case-by-case basis and may be able to install water meters on the outside of homes such as Clemson's.
"Obviously, we are not going to be about to answer all these individual questions tonight," Peterson said.
Another area of concern was a usage fee that will be assessed to rental properties. Under the plan, owners of rental properties will be charged a basic fee for each household in a building, with a monthly usage minimum that has yet to be determined.
Ken Schleiden, a rental property owner in Bellefonte, said a minimum usage fee is "inherently unfair" for people who may use less water than they are being charged for.
"We are supposed to be paying for the water we use," he said.
Peterson said that the borough has proposed charging a minimum usage fee because the cost of water-meter installation and other needs brought on by the new system must be shared by all residents.
"The fear was we would install (water meters) and everyone would get really stingy with their water," Peterson said. "This way, we can cover costs."
Water billing on a usage basis will not begin until all the meters have been installed, Peterson said. Customers have seen a $6 monthly increase, a fee used to help cover the nearly $2 million that was borrowed for the metering project.
Authority customers are projected to see a roughly $18 per quarter jump in water bills, to $58, until all customers are on the metered system.
Despite the steep cost to the authority, the change was enacted as a response to repeated gallons-per-day usage violations by the borough.
Much of the problem was due to leaking in the borough's antiquated water system. The state Department of Environmental Protection did not fine the authority for the violations because it was working to address its infrastructure problems.
Customers also are being urged to purchase expansion tanks. Such a tank gives hot water or steam a place to go when it expands, instead of going into the main line. An expansion tank costs about $55, not including the cost of installation, according to borough officials."
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