Pennsylvania American Water Co. (PAW) announced it is stepping away from a deal to buy the Towamencin Municipal Authority after a ruling from the state Public Utility Commission (PUC) changed the parameters of the arrangement. Supervisors Chairman Chuck Wilson said during the Aug. 28 meeting:
“Since our last meeting, the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission issued an order setting a formula that effectively determines what it deems to be a ‘reasonable’ purchase price for a wastewater system in a sale to a public utility.”
The news was greeted by applause from community opponents of the deal who attended the meeting. The four-year effort to sell the system has faced continued resistance from some residents, as well opposition from state organizations opposed to private ownership of public utilities.
As our own Ginny Marcille-Kerslake says, water privatization is unwelcome across Pennsylvania! We applaud the years of grassroots organizing by Towamencin Neighbors Opposing Privatization Efforts. Onward!
