By Jaidyn Steinbrecher
The long-running dispute over water billing between Susquehanna University and Selinsgrove Borough Council remains unresolved after a recent meeting to discuss the matter.
The conflict is centered around under-billed water usage that borough officials say occurred over several years. According to borough records, the municipality determined that the university had used water that was not fully billed due to meter readings or administrative errors. As a result, the borough claims the university owes approximately $181,874 for previously unbilled water services, along with additional late fees.
Officials from the borough argue that, regardless of how the billing error occurred, the water was still consumed and should therefore be paid for. Borough council members approved a settlement proposal that would require the university to pay the outstanding amount over time.
In an attempt to resolve the issue without legal action, the borough proposed a four-year payment plan. Under the offer, the university would pay the $181,874 balance in quarterly installments of about $11,367. The borough also agreed to waive more than $45,000 in late penalties and interest to make the settlement more manageable.
Borough leaders said the proposal was designed as a compromise that acknowledged the unusual circumstances of the billing problem while ensuring taxpayers would not absorb the cost of the unbilled water usage.
However, Susquehanna University rejected the borough’s proposed settlement. University officials argued that they relied on the borough’s meter readings and billing system and were never properly charged for the water in question at the time it was used.
Because the university received and paid the bills that were issued, administrators maintain that the responsibility for the billing mistake lies with the borough rather than the university.
The university reportedly made a lower counteroffer, though the specific amount has not been widely disclosed.
This back and forth has created a block between the university and council, creating controversy over Susquehanna’s other requests.
For example, Susquehanna’s request for its annual Welcome Home, Commencement, and Homecoming banners on Market Street were denied by two councilors, with one saying, “As long as they are not paying the water and sewage being used, I will oppose this.”
Ultimately, the request passed through the council, but the debate only goes to show the divide between the two entities.
With both sides disputing responsibility for the billing error, the disagreement may move toward further legal review if a compromise cannot be reached. Borough officials have already discussed the matter in executive sessions and through legal counsel as they consider their next steps, yet consistently have made no action.
The most recent Selinsgrove Borough Council meeting on March 12 was met with a similar fate as President Scott Frost reported that no action was taken, giving no further timeline, plan or information on the matter.