Another Take On Newtown's Sewer Meeting on Monday

At the Monday, December 10th Board of Supervisor meeting, the explanation by James MacCombie regarding the Act 537 Sewage Facilities Plan update was the clearest and most understandable explanation of a plan that I ever heard. Mr. MacCombie had a laser pointer and knew his subject cold–that was evident. 

Try to recognize the difference between that state-of-the-art underground pumps MacCombie was describing vs. a developer providing above ground pumps dating eight yrs ago or like a Mercedes to a Volks Wagon. 

Even though I was nearly completely satisfied with the science, if clusters of neighborhood groups require further explanation, they should receive them. But let’s be mindful that each presentation involves a cost to the township and hence taxpayers. 

I for one would appreciate exact addresses of where the new pumps are located in Salisbury and Brandywine townships. Names and phone numbers of individuals whose homes are adjacent to these pump stations might be made available to neighborhood association leaders and helpful to assuage concerns. 

The financial breadth and scope of this sewer implementation is huge:

• $25,000,000 to the township for its construction; $ 3,000-$6,000 tap-in fees per home and then each of us getting our lines to the mains. 

For all the residents whose septic systems don’t perform and are thereby imprisoned into their existing home ownership, I urge residents to try to set aside the differences between what this means to you personally and consider how adopting an Act 537 is a benefit to the community at large.

Yes, it’s a large financial outlay for all of us but serves to get the community closer to the 2010s and admitting that too many private septic systems don’t work. And I have the impression that the Pennsylvania DEP will be ordering municipalities to clear up where septic system failure is prevalent. 

Patti Wilson suggested she single handedly changed the location of the waste water pipe from Episcopal Academy from going over wetlands and, therefore, was entitled to a nice payout from developer Rouse.

She may have helped the argument but there was a chorus of us at that particular Planning Committee meeting (myself included) who stood up and argued strenuously that the waste water be piped out of Route 252 alongside the Rouse property.

Any way one cuts it: how does helping save the quality of life in the township mean one gets a sum of money?