Pittsburgh Voters To Determine Future Of City's Water System

PITTSBURGH, PA — City voters next month will consider a ballot question that will determine the long-term fate of the city's water supply.

The city currently owns and operates the drinking water, sewer and stormwater utilities that serve Pittsburgh residents. The city's Home Rule Charter currently permits the sale of those utilities to a private company or individual. The proposed amendment to that charter being voted on would prohibit the sale of utilities to a private concern.

The measure to put this question on the ballot was passed unanimously by City Council and signed by Mayor Ed Gainey. The Pittsburgh Water board also supports the amendment.

Pittsburgh Water, formerly the Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority, was formed in 1995 with a type of rent to own agreement with the city that allows it to purchase the utility infrastructure for $1 this fall. Although Pittsburgh Water remains a public utility, it currently then would be legal for the infrastructure to be sold to a private company.

A state law passed in 2016 changed the way a sale price of a public utility is determined, which made it easier for private companies to purchase utilities. That has led to a rise in the number of sales of water utilities in Pennsylvania to private companies.

Though there is no private concern currently attempting to buy the city's water and sewer utilities, the amendment - if approved - would prevent such a transaction from occurring in the future.