Lower Swatara Township and the borough of Highspire, Pennsylvania are in the midst of a lawsuit battle over sewage treatment issues, reported Press&Journal.
In June 2018, Lower Swatara filed a lawsuit against Highspire that argued the borough retained excessive fees paid by Lower Swatara.
A majority of Lower Swatara’s waste is treated at the Highspire Wastewater Treatment Plant. Highspire alleges the township didn’t pay for a clarifier and screw pump at the Highspire Waste Water Treatment Plant, according to Press&Journal. The township is seeking more than $500,000 and for the court to find that the transportation and treatment agreement entered into with Highspire in 1986 could be terminated, reported Press&Journal.
The borough asserts that Lower Swatara’s flow meters rates are “being artificially capped by malfunctioning or improperly functioning flow meters,” according to court documents. “Other lines from which sewage from Lower Swatara is being discharged into the wastewater treatment plant are not currently being metered at all and/or no flow rates are being provided.”
According to the borough, Lower Swatara failed to submit timely payment for its share of projects for a clarifier and screw pump at the plant, amounting to $53,790. Highspire asked for a ruling of over $100,000 for the $53,790 and interest and other costs, reported Press&Journal.
Lower Swatara denied these claims, claiming it did submit quarterly payments totaling $437,310.16 for the screw pump project and $276,785.30 for the clarifier project.
