BUTLER TWP — Municipalities with residents who will be affected by the sale of the Butler Area Sewer Authority to Pennsylvania American Water are about halfway through a 60-day comment period on the sale.

The Butler Township Planning Commission heard a brief presentation from representatives from the water company about the comment period at a meeting Tuesday, March 7. Butler and Butler Township are in the midst of selling BASA’s assets to Pennsylvania American for $231.5 million, a sale that is being evaluated by the Pennsylvania Public Utilities Commission before the transfer can be official.

Maggie Weitzel, environmental scientist, and Sam Miller, project manager, both with Pennsylvania American, attended Tuesday’s meeting. Miller said this process is a regular procedure for sewage companies.

Weitzel said the comment period, which concludes at the end of the month, allows residents to review the plan and give feedback to officials of the water company, which will potentially be running the BASA system in the future.

“It basically just shows that PA American is a capable private company that has the backing to run a sewer system like BASA,” Miller said. “Once this 60-day comment period is over and we gather all public comments, we have to address those; we’ll include all those in our final copy.”

Butler Township manager Tom Knights said he has had one person meet with him regarding the sewer plan.

“I could tell you I had a single resident come in with a comment — it turned out to be more of a request for a water line extension — but it prompted a conversation,” Knights said. “This step ultimately will bolster the claim that PA American can operate the system.”

The planning commission didn’t have to take any action on the agenda item, Knights said. He also said the next meeting of the township commissioners, which is at 6:30 p.m. March 20, will also feature an agenda item pertaining to the Act 537 plan.

People can comment on the Act 537 plan by visiting butlertwp.org and clicking the “contact us” tab.