The Connoquenessing Township Sewer Authority is looking at options to work with Pennsylvania American Water to help with the township’s sewer system plan.

The sewer authority’s chairman, Lambert Rosenbaum, said the board may have a meeting with water company officials after a discussion at a meeting Feb. 27. The authority is gathering information to see if the water company could serve Connoquenessing Township residents if it acquires Butler Area Sewer Authority’s assets in a pending purchase from Butler and Butler Township.

“We are wanting to research what is their bulk rate, and what is the cost if they just came in and did it. It would only be for a few customers,” Rosenbaum said. “We want this authority to do it on our own, but it may make sense cost-wise for some of those folks to go into the current BASA system.”

The authority is looking at ways to implement a sewage plan that satisfies the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection’s Act 537. Municipalities are required to update their plans addressing existing sewage disposal needs to help prevent future problems through the proper planning, permitting and design of all types of sewage facilities, as per the language of the act.

Proposed plans for Connoquenessing Township have been as expensive as $50 million, which Rosenbaum said is a cost a majority of residents hope to avoid.

Rosenbaum said he is optimistic about redesign plans.

“The DEP is very open to working us,” Rosenbaum said. “My request to the (township) supervisors is, ‘Can you let us do an update with our engineer?’ They're going to act on that next month.”

The next meeting of the sewer authority is scheduled for 6 p.m. March 27 at the Connoquenessing Township municipal building.