The Bradford City Water Authority will raise the rate for water
service by $1 per month for all residential customers.

The hike in the price of water comes for the first time since
2001, when the authority raised the rate by $2 per month – from $13
to $15 monthly. Customers will start paying $16 per month in 2006.
The announcement was made at Tuesday’s meeting.

The authority has raised the price by 20 cents per thousand
gallons of water for all classes of customers.

Authority Executive Director Kim Benjamin said in September the
authority would have to look at raising the price of water service
due, at least in part, to the drastic increase in fuel costs this
year. He said the cost of fuel has affected many aspects of the
authority’s budget, down to a jump in the cost of water treatment
chemicals due to the increased cost to haul them.

“It should be noted that the average residential customer uses
approximately 5,000 gallons per month. This rate change is less
than the rate of inflation since rates were last modified in 2001,”
Benjamin noted. “A recent survey of 75 western Pennsylvania’s
public and private water systems indicate Bradford water rates rank
in the bottom 36 percent of all systems surveyed.”

Graphics prepared by Benjamin and the water authority show the
Bradford City Water Authority’s annual rate for 60,000 gallons of
water stands at $288, below both the state median at $319.04 and
state average at $323.89. Comparatively, the St. Marys Water
Authority charges $168.20 annually for the same amount of water;
Johnsonburg Municipal Authority, $291; Ridgway Borough Water
Department, $336; the City of Olean (N.Y.) Department of Public
Works, $336.92; and the Pa. American Water Co., which provides
service to Kane, Warren and Punxsutawney, $482.12.

In other business, the authority also adopted its budget for
2006, and is in the black with total operating expenses estimated
at $1,834,950 and total operating revenues at $2,874,000. In 2005,
the authority brought in $2,760,000 for the year, and spent
$1,780,400.

There are several capital expenditures lined up for the upcoming
year.

“This budget provides for $229,700 to be produced from revenues
for the Bond and Redemption and Improvement Fund. It should be
noted that the authority shall be undertaking a large capital
intensive project of dam rehabilitation requiring and estimated $2
million,” Benjamin said, referring to the current, ongoing
rehabilitation of the Marilla Reservoir Dam.

Benjamin reported on the progress of the Marilla project at the
meeting, noting construction is on schedule for the summer of
2006.

The authority may also enter into a $400,000 agreement for a
centrifuge for the water treatment plant in 2006. Other capital
expenditures could include a service van, various computer
upgrades, hydrant replacements, a portable vacuum machine, a tap
machine and the authority’s $140,000 financial commitment to the
line extension to the Bradford Regional Airport in Mount Alton.

Water service to the airport and residents along Route 59 from
Big Shanty Road to the airport should be available in the spring,
Benjamin said at the meeting.

Also, the authority approved a final payment of $20,512.30 to
Allegheny Contracting for the Marilla Springs Trail Project. The
authority is working cooperatively with the Tuna Valley Trails
Association on that project, and the TVTA will reimburse the
authority with grant money obtained through the county.

In other business, the authority rejected bids for the tank
cleaning project at the 3-million-gallon Prospect Street Reservoir
until the authority’s solicitor can clear up language in the
request for bids that apparently confused some bidders.

Lastly, Benjamin addressed winter water woes and reminded area
residents that ice fishing at the reservoirs is prohibited, they
should try to keep their meters from freezing and to keep hydrants
clear of heavy snow.