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Pittsburgh City Council

Referendum to Amend the Home Rule Charter: Restricting the Lease and/or Sale of the City’s Water and Sewer System.

Written by Amy Whipple

Restricting the Lease and/or Sale of the City’s Water and Sewer System

The third referendum would add a new article to the Definitions of Home Rule Powers, “restricting the lease and/or sale of the City’s water and sewer system to private entities.”

  • From July 2012 to December 2015, the then-Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority (now Pittsburgh Water) had a management contract with Veolia Water North America-Northeast. Veolia’s management included inaccurate meters and billing, as well as a 14-month change in chemicals used for corrosion and lead control, allegedly contributing to elevated lead levels. PWSA later sued Veolia. Councilperson Gross, one of six co-sponsors, said this addition could help protect the city from a repeat incident.
  • The city’s current lease agreement with Pittsburgh Water—effective since 1995—allows the public entity to purchase the water and sewer system later this year. If passed, the sale to Pittsburgh Water would still be permitted because it is a public, not private, entity.
  • Councilperson Kail-Smith noted that Pittsburgh Water is only one of three water suppliers for her district. She expressed concern over continued rate increases and emphasized that protecting residents’ water also means keeping bills manageable. Councilpersons Mosley and Strassburger brought up related environmental justice aspects.
  • The ordinance received a unanimous affirmative recommendation.
  • A public hearing is scheduled for Feb. 3, and the final vote is slated for Feb. 4.

Connections to this story

Topics:
InfrastructureGovernment & Accountability
Governments:
Pittsburgh City Council
Public meetings:
City Council · January 28, 2025

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