PUCO decision favors Aqua Ohio

A private water supplier is given the OK to serve Southington Township and surrounding areas.

Staff REPORT

SOUTHINGTON — Despite opposition from the Mahoning Valley Sanitary District, the Trumbull County areas needing water are entitled to services from Aqua Ohio.

A decision by the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio this week will enable Aqua, a private water supplier, to expand its service by amending its Masury division’s certificate of public convenience and necessity. A CPCN is simply a certificate to serve, said Alan Schriber, chairman of the PUCO Board of Commissioners.

As long as the party in question has a CPCN, then it can serve wherever it wishes.

“Traditionally water isn’t an issue on the forefront,” said Schriber, but in the future more people could be in the same situation as those near Southington Township.

The township originally sought help from Trumbull County for delivering water through an arrangement with Warren city. But not enough support was generated by township residents for the county to deliver the water.

Southington trustees contacted Aqua in 2004 when they were forced to look elsewhere for water.

According to a letter to the PUCO written by Walter Pishkur, president of Aqua, the dealings with Southington Township and Aqua have been long-standing and Pishkur assured that providing water to this area is still part of the agreement.

“... Much effort has been expended and Aqua continues to be totally committed to provide water service to Southington Township,” said Pishkur in his letter to Schriber.

Aqua was not pleased to have the PUCO revisit the case. But Al Sauline, Aqua’s vice president of government relations, said they were satisfied the results are consistent with the PUCO’s original decision concerning the service issue.

Aqua is trying multiple avenues to get service to those in need, said Sauline.

“We are still exploring funding options,” he said.

Thomas Holloway, MVSD chief engineer, was against the service expansion and felt that the PUCO should toss out its ruling and have “a new determination made on who can provide service economically and efficiently.”

Those were the words used in a letter Holloway wrote in August to the PUCO Board of Commissioners. MVSD’s member cities are Youngstown and Niles, delivering water from Meander Reservoir.

Schriber wrote a response to Holloway stating, “At this time, staff is satisfied that Aqua Ohio, Inc. continues to make a good faith effort to provide water service to the areas in question and is not in violation of any Commission order or directive.”

Under the PUCO there are certain requirements Aqua must adhere to, said Holloway.

The MVSD will look into Ohio Administrative Codes and check to see if Aqua is meeting the service criteria within the PUCO terms.