City of Pittsburgh - File #: 2015-1434

• File #: 2015-1434
• Version: 1
• Type: Will of Council
• Status: Adopted
• File created: 3/17/2015
• In control: City Council
• On agenda: 3/17/2015
• Final action: 3/17/2015
• Enactment date: 3/17/2015
• Enactment #: 136
• Effective date: 3/17/2015
• Title: NOW, BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Council of the City of Pittsburgh fully supports the Residential Homeowner Assistance Program, and encourages similar efforts and programs undertaken by PWSA to aid City of Pittsburgh homeowners and improve overall water quality, and, further, does hereby applaud PWSA for its attention to the needs of residents and the need for creative ways to facilitate and encourage water and sewer infrastructure improvements in the City of Pittsburgh.
• Sponsors: Deborah L. Gross, Bruce A. Kraus, Natalia Rudiak, Corey O'Connor, Theresa Kail-Smith, All Members

Date	Ver.	Action By	Action	Result
3/17/2015	1	City Council	Adopted	Pass

Body
WHEREAS, the City of Pittsburgh and the Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority (PWSA) continue to emphasize stormwater management practices, aiming to prevent serious ongoing damage to residential infrastructure, improve natural water quality, and create accessible routes toward the adoption of sustainable water management solutions city-wide; and

WHEREAS, the 2004 Consent Order and Agreement between PWSA, the City of Pittsburgh, the PA Department of Environmental Protection, and the Allegheny County Health Department requires that residential properties in "sanitary sewer areas" have separate pipelines for storm water and waste water; and,

WHEREAS, City of Pittsburgh Ordinance No. 3 of 2006 requires all property owners wishing to sell their homes to receive a dye test from PWSA to determine if the property is properly or improperly connected to a sanitary sewer system, the failure of which necessitates corrections to the property's infrastructure and a subsequent dye test; and,

WHEREAS, 4000 homes have failed the dye test to date, with the cost of water system corrections incurred by these homeowners ranging from $250 and $30,000; and,

WHEREAS, only an estimated 25 percent of these affected homeowners will be able to make corrections at an affordable cost, leaving the majority of affected homeowners with a large, frequently unanticipated financial burden to address in order to sell their homes; and,

WHEREAS, PWSA has created the Residential Homeowner Assistance Program (RHAP) with initial funding of $200,000 to be administered by the Dollar Energy Fund, and distributed in the form of grants or loans to homeowners who comprise to 250% of the federal poverty level, equipping them with a new and vital financial resource to make corrections necessary to pass their dye test; and,

WHEREAS, the City of Pittsburgh is supportive of efforts that contribute to the elimination of obstacles facing homeowners in the sale of their homes, and is further co...