Fawn officials are withholding their semi-annual payment to the water authority until the authority resolves two issues, supervisor Chairman David Montanari said.
"We fully intend to pay, but not until they satisfy our requests," he said.
Montanari said the authority needs to ensure that the appropriate level of water pressure is coming from each of the township's fire hydrants and that the two fire departments are notified when fire hydrants aren't functioning properly.
The township's strained relationship with the Fawn Frazer Joint Water Authority worsened after township officials refused to pay the $18,000 annual maintenance fee that it owes to the water authority. The money is paid in two $9,000 installments each year. The township has paid neither for 2010.
Township officials asked the authority to supply a list of what the maintenance money covers. Montanari noted that taxpayers' money is used to pay the authority's bill and so the township deserved an answer.
He said the authority met that request.
Authority Secretary Homer Logan said the fee is dumped into the authority's general fund and that the money isn't dedicated to one thing, such as hydrant maintenance.
According to Logan, all 124 of the township's fire hydrants are flushed, flow-tested and inspected for proper functioning every year. If the water authority finds a defective hydrant, then Allegheny County 911 is notified that a malfunctioning hydrant is out of service until the authority fixes the problem.
Fawn Township Fire Departments No. 1 and No. 2 have complained of fire hydrants not working properly. They are requesting that the water authority notifies the township, instead of the county, when a hydrant is out of order so that firefighters can be better prepared for fire calls.
According to fire department officials, a hydrant in front of one of the fire halls didn't work for months until it was replaced recently.
But authority officials claim that many of the township's requests are not possible because of a lack of money. And they say the problem has been worsened by Fawn Township's refusal to pay the maintenance fee.
Both township fire chiefs say they will start calling the water authority's operations foreman Tim Frank directly when they have an issue with fire hydrants. If Frank can't solve the problem, then township officials will have to get involved.
The water authority claims that Fawn is the only municipality that has not paid any of the annual maintenance fee.
According to Logan, the water authority has invited township officials to its meetings several times but no supervisors have ever attended.
Montanari indicated he was confident the two sides will be able to resolve the issue.
Staff writer Michael Aubele contributed to this story.
