Bucks Authority Chair Says He Won't Support Sale Of Sewer System

DOYLESTOWN, PA — The chairman of the Bucks County Water and Sewer Authority Board said he will not support moving forward with the proposed sale of its sewer system to Aqua for $1.1 billion.

John Cordisco made his remarks hours after Commissioners Bob Harvie and Diane Ellis-Marseglia asked the authority to end negotiations with Aqua.

“We respect Commissioners Harvie and Ellis-Marseglia’s opinions and have always believed their position on the proposed sale would be vitally important to any decision we make. We were never going to be in conflict with the commissioners’ position," said Cordisco. "As such, I have informed the BCWSA board members that I do not support moving forward with the proposed offer, and we will determine the next appropriate steps.

"Additionally, I agree with the commissioners that harsh realities do await in the form of significant system repairs, and we will continue to work with the county to find solutions to alleviate the impact on our customers and communities we serve," said Cordisco.

“We appreciate the county commissioners reviewing the proposed offer from Aqua Pennsylvania for our wastewater assets and for providing the BCWSA Board with their direction. We understand the value of getting all the facts and understanding every detail on behalf of Bucks County’s residents, especially for an acquisition valued at more than $1.1 billion.

"We had a fiduciary responsibility to conduct our own examination and due diligence to determine what would be the best outcome for our customers, communities and employees," said Cordisco. "We conducted a comprehensive outreach and fact gathering process and said from the beginning that no decision would be made until we obtained all necessary feedback."

Cordisco added, "I commend the BCWSA staff who worked tirelessly over the last several months to examine every possible inch of the proposal and to ensure we did everything we could to meet with residents, stakeholders and our 75,000 retail wastewater customers, addressing all their questions along the way."

To read the remarks made by Commissioners Harvie and Ellis-Marseglia, click here.