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Pennsylvania American Water Co. inspects nearly 6,400 fire hydrants across Lackawanna and Luzerne counties once a year, but the company is only obligated to fix or replace the approximately 4,000 hydrants in Luzerne County, a company official says.
Pennsylvania American only maintains the hydrants it actually owns and operates, which include those south of the Taylor-Scranton line and several in South Abington Township and on Routes 6 and 11, said Tony Gangemi, operations superintendent for Pennsylvania American.
In Lackawanna County, each municipality owns and maintains its fire hydrants.
But we inspect all of them every spring, said Mr. Gangemi.
Pennsylvania American inspects the fire hydrants during its annual flushing program every year, beginning in April.
They (Pennsylvania American workers) have to operate the hydrants in order to flush the system, so they inspect all the hydrants then, Mr. Gangemi said.
He noted several municipalities also inspect the hydrants on a regular basis. South Abington Township, for example, also flushes the system again in the fall.
During Pennsylvania Americans spring cleaning, which takes 10-12 weeks to complete, he said a crew of about 10 men checks HYDRANTS,7 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^every municipal hydrant for static pressures, leaks, drainage, chains and water caps to determine which operate correctly and which need to be repaired or replaced.
The workers will schedule repairs for the hydrants the company owns, said Mr. Gangemi.
If the workers come across a nonworking hydrant owned by a municipality, they immediately notify the Lackawanna County Communications Center and also the municipality.
Its up to the municipality to make the repair if we dont own the hydrant, he said.
State law sets the monthly cost for water services at $37.75 per fire hydrant whether Pennsylvania American owns the hydrant or not, and regardless of how much water is actually used.
According to Bob Wiltshire, a Dickson City councilman and president of the Lackawanna County Association of Boroughs, the fees on Dickson Citys 140 hydrants add up to about $60,000 annually just under 2.5 percent of the boroughs $2.6 million 1999 budget.
Most people just dont realize how much the boroughs have to pay just to have the water available, he said. When you look at what you pay as opposed to what you use, its a lot.
Lackawanna County Commissioner John Senio agrees the cost to municipalities is too high. He urged municipalities to write letters to Pennsylvania American President Bob Ross, asking him to discuss reducing the fee structure.
LCAB members, Mr. Ross and the commissioners plan to discuss reducing the fees and other cost-cutting options on April 22 in St. Johns Hall, Mayfield.
The question of why Pennsylvania American doesnt own all the hydrants in Lackawanna County doesnt have a clear answer.
Long before Pennsylvania American appeared on the scene, there were separate water companies serving the two counties, operations manager David L. Guskey said. Scranton Water Co. provided service to most of Lackawanna County, and from the time that system was founded municipalities owned and maintained their own fire hydrants, Mr. Guskey said.
Spring Brook Water Co. served Luzerne County, and Spring Brook always owned and maintained the hydrants, he said.
Mr. Gangemi said Pennsylvania American owns and maintains the water mains and laterals to which the hydrants are connected in all the municipalities.
CHRIS KELLY, a member of the Times regional staff, contributed to this report.
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