Customers of the North Huntingdon Township Municipal Authority won't see a change in their monthly billing anytime soon as the authority board Wednesday decided there is no advantage to going from a flat monthly fee to a consumption-based fee.
KLH Engineering and the authority studied the potential impact of switching to a consumption-based billing system and instituting a minimum monthly fee for about six months.
The authority figured that households with just one or two members would pay less than those with several members, but the study didn't support the switch.
KLH engineer David Coldren said 94 percent of the authority's $4.8 million budget involves fixed costs that would have to be recouped through the minimum monthly fee.
The fee, according to KLH studies, would have to be at least $35.18 per month to cover those fixed costs, just two cents lower than the current monthly rate charged to customers.
"I don't think the payback is there," said board member Edward Shields. "It's a nice idea. We can look at it in the future, but I can't see spending any more time on it right now."
Shields said stormwater and groundwater infiltration into the sewage treatment system is a much greater concern than rates.
The board's attention turned to approaching the township commissioners about a pilot project to check various areas for water infiltration.
"Flows are much more based on weather than what's coming out of somebody's taps," said board Chairman Andrew Benko.
Heavy infiltration causes higher operating costs, the board members agreed.
While there are no plans to force residents whose laterals are tested to repair leaking lines on their properties, authority general manager Kate Petrosky suggested the township consider an ordinance to address the issue.
In other business, the board approved pay raises for the authority's top managers.
Finance manager Mike Branthoover received a $2,300 raise for 2006, bringing his salary to $48,060. Operations supervisor Gary Blasko's salary will rise $1,800 to $54,378; systems superintendent Charles Gilbert will get a $2,500 increase to $58,930; and Petrosky's salary will increase $2,900 to $69,273.
