Deal for rate increase covers flood solution

The company will appoint a representative to the storm-water advisory team.
By DENISE DICK
VINDICATOR STAFF Writer
POLAND -- An Aqua Ohio official says the company will work with the village to address flooding problems after village council made cooperation a condition of a rate increase.
Village council members this week approved a service agreement with Aqua that calls for 4.6 percent water rate increase for Feb. 1 through Dec. 31.
Aqua had sought the increase for three years.
The ordinance passed by council made the last two years contingent on the village's "evaluation of the cooperativeness and actions taken by Aqua Ohio during the first year of the contract" in efforts to reduce flooding.
"We appreciate their action in passing it as an emergency," said Albert J. Sauline, vice president of governmental relations for Aqua. "We're confident that they will renew it for the next year."
Sauline said the company will appoint a representative to the village's storm-water advisory team, or SWAT, a group that's been meeting for more than a year to try to alleviate flooding.
"We plan to put all of our cards on the table to work with the village to alleviate their flooding problems," Sauline said.
Lake Evans problem
Joe Mazur, village council president and a SWAT member, said the village wants the company to lower the level of Lake Evans where water has flowed over the dam on North Lima Road. He says that's where much of the water that flows into the village during heavy rain comes from.
Aqua owns the lake.
Sauline said that could cause problems for the company if it lowers the water level and then there's a rainfall shortage.
"We have to make sure that we're able to provide water to all of our customers," he said.
But he said the company is reviewing possible options to aid the village.
"We've always had a great relationship with the village and we'll continue to have a great relationship," Sauline said.
Mazur said the village would work with the company.
"We expected that they would be cooperative," he said. "Council is hoping that they will provide some tangible efforts to addressing the flooding problems."
Aqua supplies water to about 18,000 customers in Poland village and township, New Middletown, Lowellville and Struthers and Beaver Township and parts of Coitsville, Springfield, Canfield and Boardman townships.
The increase was already approved by Struthers and Lowellville councils. It awaits approval from Mahoning County commissioners.
The 4.6 percent increase is down from 6 percent each year the company had initially sought.
Aqua representatives have said that the average family bill is $29.19 monthly. The increase would bump it to $30.53 monthly in 2006, $31.93 monthly in 2007 and $33.40 per month in 2008.
Sauline has said the increase is to fund roughly $16 million in capital improvements planned for the next three years. Those improvements include about $10 million for treatment plant expansion and upgrades, and $1 million for dams at Pine and McKelvey lakes.
denise_dick@vindy.com