While I sincerely appreciate the explanation provided by Diane, I share Michael's outrage. My bill has more than doubled since 2001 and no explanation can possibly make me feel accepting of that. PLUS: If Alcosan really cares about getting responses from the working public (i.e., the people who have to pay these bills), why do they schedule meetings in the middle of most people's work day? Claudette -----Original Message----- From: Diane Roberts <dianeeroberts@msn.com> To: neighborhood@highlandparkpa.com; Michael M. Nadler <mike@divehards.com> Sent: Tue, 27 Jan 2009 8:30 pm Subject: Re: [Highland Park] Alcosan Public Meeting Increases in our water/sewer bills are the result of work necessary to comply with a consent decree to insure long-term compliance with the Federal Clean Water Act.  There are a couple of links below to help explain the increase.  The first two are from Alcosan's website -- the first is their announcement of the 2009 rate structure.  The second is a link to the consent decree.  The third link is to an article that appeared in the Post-Gazette on May 27, 2007 which describes some of the staggering costs of bringing the water system into compliance.  The final link is from the the State's Department of Environmental Protection website referencing a Sustainable Water Infrastructure Task Force at the State level that has also been working on the issues of our aging water system.    http://www.alcosan.org/MediaRoom/IntheNews/InTheNewsDetails/tabid/93/selectm... b/36/Default.aspx   http://www.alcosan.org/CustomerCare/ConsentDecree/tabid/63/Default.aspx   http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07143/788219-113.stm   http://www.depweb.state.pa.us/watersupply/cwp/view.asp?a=1263&Q=536847   Diane Roberts   ----- Original Message ----- From: Michael M. Nadler To: Highland Park List Serve (neighborhood@highlandparkpa.com) Sent: Tuesday, January 27, 2009 7:19 AM Subject: [Highland Park] Alcosan Public Meeting Dear Highland Park Residents –               I received our water/sewer bill this week, only to find that there had been a 16% increase approved by the City of Pittsburgh, which I had no knowledge of.  My bills on this end have increased over 200% since moving into our house here in 2002.  In the Highland Park Community Council’s mailbox there was a flyer this week telling of Informational Meetings being held by Alcosan, which is the sewer portion of your PWSA Bill each month.  I will be out of the country, thus not able to attend, but am interested on what they are planning to do, as well as where this money is going.  I hope some of you might be able to attend one of these, as well as get back to the List Serve as to what news there might be.  If you would like to attend these two meetings (the third was the day before I got the mail out of the box), they are as follows:   North: Thursday, 29 JAN 09, 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM Holiday Inn – McKnight 4859 McKnight Road Pittsburgh, PA  15237   East: Thursday, 05 FEB 09, 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM Holiday Inn – Monroeville 2750 Mosside Boulevard Monroeville, PA  15146   For more information, please contact the Alcosan Public Relations Department: (412) 734-8733   Michael Millet Nadler President, Highland Park Community Council P.O. Box 5036 Pittsburgh, PA  15206   Personal Contact Information: 5916 Callowhill Street Pittsburgh, PA  15206 (412) 363-3483, Fax: (412) 363-2925, E-mail: mike@divehards.com   -- <http://lists.highlandparkpa.com/mailman/listinfo/neighborhood>; - http://lists.highlandparkpa.com/mailman/listinfo/neighborhood>