TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Suncoast Pasco News

Aloha Reports Could Arrive Next Week

ADVERTISEMENT

By Carl  Orth | The Suncoast News

Published: October 3, 2007

NEW PORT RICHEY, Fla. - NEW PORT RICHEY, Fla. - An Oct. 10 meeting might give customers the first peek at an expert's reports on installing a new treatment system at Aloha Utilities.

Steve Watford, president of the privately owned utility, was noncommittal about what might be discussed at the quarterly update meeting. The event is scheduled for Oct. 10, 2 p.m., at Hudson Regional Library.

A draft of the first part of the reports from Dr. Audrey Levine, however, is supposed to arrive sometime about Oct. 5, Watford confirmed.

"We have been speaking with Dr. Levine on a daily basis, ... and we're making progress," Watford commented.

The quarterly updates for the public are part of the same settlement agreement with the Florida Public Service Commission to upgrade Aloha's treatment plant.

Aloha agreed to spend an estimated $6.13 million on an anion exchange system to clean up its water supplies.

Many Aloha customers have complained for about a decade about discoloration and odor problems in the utility's drinking water.

Aloha says on its Web site the company provides water, sewer and reclaimed water service for some 25,000 residents, primarily in the Seven Springs area.

The treatment project has been on hold until recommendations are made by Levine, the former University of South Florida professor consulting on the best way to set up the new system.

Levine, however, left to take a job with the federal Environmental Protection Agency in Washington, D.C., hoping to finish the reports while starting her new duties.

Critics of Aloha have grumbled the company could have made better contingency plans since Levine first gave notice about her job change last December.

In any event, Aloha might be able to submit its application to state environmental regulators by late October if Levine's reports come through as planned. At least that's what Greg Giordano, chief legislative aide to state Sen. Mike Fasano, gleaned from a Sept. 26 phone conference call involving Aloha executives, PSC officials and other parties.

Fasano, R-New Port Richey, is an Aloha customer and a long-time critic of the private utility.

"That pushes the completion date to May 2009," Giordano said about getting the treatment plant "up and running." That assumes no other stumbling blocks.

Should Levine falter in delivering her report, the PSC might not have many options. Another expert had been mentioned as a replacement for Levine, but he might be retiring soon.

"The PSC is not letting up," Giordano concluded from the conference call. The regulatory agency is pressuring Aloha "to hold their feet to the fire" toward a better water treatment system.

Also, Aloha is supposed to buy county water as a stopgap measure, starting in early 2008. Customers have expressed hopes 2.4 million gallons a day of county water mixed into Aloha supplies might help water quality.

In the meantime, an advisory committee met recently about Pasco County possibly reclaiming regulatory power over privately owned utilities here. Right now the state PSC governs the private utilities.

Customers asked if the county might pursue buying out private utilities. Aloha executives emphatically hadn't been interested in selling the last time the county sent an inquiry to the company in 2001.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT