An ongoing dispute between the State College Borough and the Centre region’s primary wastewater treatment authority has intensified as the authority now says the borough’s unpaid bills total more than $4 Million dollars.
According to a recent court order, which was filed last week in Centre County court, is the latest in the suit between the University Area Joint Authority and State College Borough.
The lawsuit was originally filed in October of 2022, with the sewer authority seeking a judgement against the borough for a little over 406 thousand dollars, claiming that’s what the borough owed in unpaid bills for sewer treatment services.
Now, according to the sewer authority, that figure is ten times higher.
At a recent board meeting this month, a financial report included a notice, claiming that the State College unpaid balance is just over 4.1 million dollars, with at least 2.5 million being the actual unpaid billing, and the remainder is penalties and late fees.
Shortly after the original suit was filed in 2022, State College responded by claiming the borough was allegedly overcharged by the sewer authority, saying their review of past payments showed that over billing amounted to more than 6 million dollars.
State College has reportedly been paying the sewer bills at a rate that they feel is the appropriate amount, while putting the remaining billing amount in escrow.
As noted in the latest court order, negotiations to settle the court suit are ongoing, with Centre County President Judge Jonathon Grine setting a November court date for a status conference on the negotiations.
