I will always have a soft spot in my heart for the Chester Water Authority.
Even though I have never been a customer.
Well, actually I should probably say I have never paid for the use of their water.
Let me explain.
If you live in one of the 19 Delco municipalities that use Chester Water Authority, when you walk over to your tip, turn it on and see that sparkling, beautiful H2O, do you know where it comes from?
No, not the pipe coming into your house.
I mean where it originates.
I do.
All that water emanates from the Octoraro Reservoir.
And where might that be?
It's on the border of Chester and Lancaster counties, right outside the little town of Oxford where I grew up.
I have done a lot of things in that water, many of which we probably should not go into here. I have fished in that water, swam in that water, and been chased out of that reservoir more times than I can remember.
There is a two-lane bridge and road that crosses the Octoraro Reservoir. It is called Route 472. It is a perfect flat stretch. Let's just say we did things on that stretch of road we were not supposed to be doing.
It has always fascinated me since I started working here in Delaware County a lifetime ago, that the glistening water from the Octoraro makes its way 50 miles to the east to homes all across Delaware County.
And it looks like it will stay that way.
That's because it now appears the Chester Water Authority, which a year ago was the subject of sales rumors, is not going anywhere.
First, there was a push from a private firm to buy the company. Then there was a dispute with the city of Chester, which was flexing its muscles and saying it might sell off all or part of the company as a way to climb out of the "distressed city" label slapped on it by the state.
It now appears Chester Water and the city of Chester have settled their differences.
As usual, money talks. And Chester is going to be getting about $60 million in exchange for dropping any push to sell off the company or at least a part of it.
The downside? Well, in order to come up with that money, the board of Chester Water Authority has approved a 10 percent rate hike.
Solicitor Frank Catania indicated most of the emails he received were in favor of the move, that the rate hike would be worth it to keep the company private.
The agreement now goes to Chester City Council and then the Delaware County Court of Common Pleas.
For now, it looks like Chester Water isn't going anywhere. We talk about it on today's editorial page.
Anybody feel like going fishing?
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