Author: Delcora

DELCORA Hosting Public Virtual Meetings
June 4, 2020

DELCORA’s Executive Director, Bob Willert, announced final plans for hosting the June 2020 Committee Meetings & DELCORA Board of Directors Meeting by means of a virtual meeting platform known as Zoom. This is the same platform that was used for the April & May 2020 meetings.

During this unprecedented time the health and safety of our employees, our customers and the community is our number one priority. We would like to maintain business operation as close to normal as possible, with the ability to host virtual meetings this allows us to do just that.

Members of the public are invited to join each of the DELCORA Committee Meetings as well as the DELCORA Board of Directors Meeting.

For each meeting there is a different access link. You will find that below under the appropriate meeting you wish to participate in.

The following meetings listed below will each be held utilizing Zoom Technology:

Human Resources & Administration Committee Meeting – June 8, 2020, 3:30PM

Members of the public are invited to join the Human Resources & Admin. Committee Meeting by accessing the meeting through this link:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81208921728?pwd=YmxTaWV2akF6RHVtOGRlTDVFak9YZz09

Meeting ID: 812 0892 1728

Password: 674113

People can also join by telephone by calling one of the following phone numbers: +1 312 626 6799, +1 929 205 6099, +1 253 215 8782, +1 301 715 8592, +1 346 248 7799, +1 669 900 6833.

Strategic Planning & Goals Committee Meeting – June 8, 2020, 3:30PM

Members of the public are invited to join the Human Resources & Admin. Committee Meeting by accessing the meeting through this link:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81208921728?pwd=YmxTaWV2akF6RHVtOGRlTDVFak9YZz09

Meeting ID: 812 0892 1728

Password: 674113

People can also join by telephone by calling one of the following phone numbers: +1 312 626 6799, +1 929 205 6099, +1 253 215 8782, +1 301 715 8592, +1 346 248 7799, +1 669 900 6833.

Operations & Engineering Committee Meeting – June 9, 2020, 3:30PM

Members of the public are invited to join the Operations & Engineering Committee Meeting by accessing the meeting through this link:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86368665726?pwd=T1RMczJOeGhyTUw3MUEwWWxRTTcvdz09

Meeting ID: 863 6866 5726

Password: 121628

People can also join by telephone by calling one of the following phone numbers: +1 312 626 6799, +1 929 205 6099, +1 253 215 8782, +1 301 715 8592, +1 346 248 7799, +1 669 900 6833.

Finance Committee Meeting – June 10, 2020, 3:30PM

Members of the public are invited to join the Finance Committee Meeting by accessing the meeting through this link:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89378065998?pwd=SVY4WSt0ZUQ2bEV6OC96T2dkbzdzQT09

Meeting ID: 893 7806 5998

Password: 589143

People can also join by telephone by calling one of the following phone numbers: +1 312 626 6799, +1 929 205 6099, +1 253 215 8782, +1 301 715 8592, +1 346 248 7799, +1 669 900 6833.

DELCORA Board of Directors Meeting – June 16, 2020, 3:30PM

Members of the public are invited to join the DELCORA Board of Directors Meeting by accessing the meeting through this link:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84804182542?pwd=UVNwd2xUTG1QUmtiVThSQUk0UzQ5UT09

Meeting ID: 848 0418 2542

Password: 322907

People can also join by telephone by calling one of the following phone numbers: +1 312 626 6799, +1 929 205 6099, +1 253 215 8782, +1 301 715 8592, +1 346 248 7799, +1 669 900 6833.

PUBLIC COMMENT/FORUM: Participants wishing to provide public comment will be able to do so by adhering to the following protocols:
When you join a Zoom meeting hosted by another user, you are considered an attendee. Beginning at 3:30 pm a public comment/forum will begin allowing anyone who wishes to speak publicly to be given 3 minutes. The public comment/forum time will only be at the beginning of each meeting. If there is no one from the public requesting to speak to the Board, the meeting will continue as usual.

There are 3 methods available to participate via Public Comment:

1. Zoom Chat/Phone – during the public meetings

2. Email public comment/question

3. Phone in public comment/question

If a public participant joins via the “zoom link” they can sign up by using the Zoom chat:

a) In your controls at the bottom window, click Chat. If you are on a mobile device, tap Participants, then Chat.

b) The chat window will open on the right side of your screen if you are not in full screen mode.

c) Please type your First and Last Name, Address and Topic of Discussion into the chat window to sign up for Public Comment and press Enter to send your message.

d) Public Comment will start promptly at 3:30 pm.

e) Time duration will be kept by the host and monitored to ensure the 3 minute time limit is adhered to.

f) Please be respectful of your time and others who may be awaiting their turn to speak as well. 

If an individual chooses to join by phone and would like to participate in the public forum we ask for you to adhere to the following instructions:

a) When asked if there is anyone wishing to speak from the public, please at that time state your First and Last Name, Address and whether you have a question or comment.

b) The host will then call upon you again when it is your turn to speak.

c) If a question is asked a member of the Board or Staff will answer you question.

d) Again, public comment/forum will begin promptly at 3:30pm.

Public comments/questions may be submitted by email with the following information:

1) First & Last Name

2) Address

3) Comment/Questions

Emails can be sent immediately to: amadiol@delcora.org

If you do not have access to email you can call in your public comment to: 484-844-0482

Public meetings begin promptly at 3:30pm. All comments/questions sent in by Zoom chat/phone, email and phone will be read and addressed at the beginning of each meeting. Once all public comments/questions have been addressed the meeting will continue as usual.

Emailed or phoned/in comments deemed inappropriate will not be read into public record. Zoom chat/phone comments from an individual deemed inappropriate will force the host to remove that individual from the meeting and be removed from public record.

COMMITTEE MEETINGS: Will begin promptly at 3:30pm with the designated chair for each committee requesting those in attendance to engage in the Pledge of Allegiance. After, the meeting will commence as usual with the agenda for each given meeting.

DELCORA BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING: Will begin promptly at 3:30pm with the Chairman of the Board requesting those in attendance to engage in the Pledge of Allegiance. After, the meeting will commence as usual with the final Board agenda based on Committee Meetings recommendations of business.DELCORA Board of Directors is asking everyone to be patient as using remote technology is a new endeavor. The DELCORA Board encourages all residents to stay vigilant and follow the safety measures that have been provided by the Governor’s office, County Council and the State Health Departments.

Files Preliminary Injunction to Stop Delco Council Dissolution Actions; Urges Postponing Vote

CHESTER, PA (June 1, 2020) – The Delaware County Regional Water Quality Control Authority (DELCORA) today filed a preliminary injunction in Delaware County Court of Common Pleas to stop the implementation of Delaware County Council’s ordinance to dissolve the authority. DELCORA is filing the petition on behalf of its 165,000 ratepayers who will be irreparably harmed by Delco Council and to stop this illegal money grab. As the petition states, “…an ill-advised attempt to fill the County’s coffers at the direct expense of DELCORA’s customers who are also by and large constituents of the County.”

In referencing the impending merger with Aqua Pennsylvania Wastewater, the filing states, “After paying off DELCORA’s debt obligations and transaction-related expenses, the proceeds of that sale will be used entirely for the benefit of preventing significant rate increases for DELCORA’s customers for a considerable period of time. Council’s attempt to terminate DELCORA via the Ordinance is simply part of its efforts to keep that money for itself.”

The petition further states, “..the Ordinance is callously reckless and creates a logistical nightmare that would similarly imperil the wastewater conveyance services upon which the residents of Delaware County (and Chester County), rely and cause environmental harm.”

“With its proposed actions, the Delaware County Council is stealing our ratepayers’ money and raising their wastewater rates by approximately 10% per year for the next several years,” said Robert J. Willert, Executive Director of DELCORA. “DELCORA is taking this action to protect ratepayers and keep Council out of their pockets. DELCORA is an independent municipal authority which has never received a dime from County Council. Any money at DELCORA belongs to ratepayers not County Council. We call on Council to postpone the June 3 vote until full and adequate public hearings are held to review the County’s plan for operating this complicated system and to determine what is in the best interest of DELCORA’s ratepayers.”

The legal action cites numerous Federal and State laws that will be violated by Council’s actions. They include legal obligations related to a Federal consent decree, the need for a PUC Certificate of Public Convenience to serve non-Delaware County residents and violations of the Municipal Authorities Act which require payment of all outstanding bonds and debts among many other violations.

“Delaware County Council proposed transparency. Yet, it took these actions with no real public notice or input, no prior notification to DELCORA and in a Zoom meeting during a pandemic,” said Willert. “Further, the Council has not released any plans for how to manage this large and highly complex authority which protects the public from waterborne diseases and how it will perform the hundreds of existing and essential contracts. The public deserves to know Council’s plan and to provide comment on it.”

“Conversely, our plan to merge with Aqua Pennsylvania Wastewater was vetted in several public meetings, several public meetings with Delaware County Council and numerous meetings with our municipal authority customers last summer,” Willert continued. “Our plan uses the proceeds from the sale to create an approximately $200 million Customer Trust Fund that will keep rate increases at 3% annually for several years, while also allowing us to pay the mandated and necessary $1.2 billion in capital improvements and maintenance costs.”

Background on Merger with Aqua Pennsylvania Wastewater

On September 17, 2019 the DELCORA board of directors voted unanimously to approve the execution of an asset purchase agreement (APA) with Aqua Pennsylvania Wastewater, Inc. and proceed with the proposed merger, pending Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission approval. The purchase price is $276.5 million which will be used to pay off outstanding debt and reinvested in a rate stabilization plan. The agreement comes after an exhaustive, consultative process which involved over 20 meetings with employees, municipal officials and the Delaware County Council as well as two public meetings with customers.

The merger is grounded on a customer trust fund that would be used to offset customer bill increases. The rate stabilization plan, announced at a public meeting on September 11, is expected to save an average retail customer $1,400 and will help to offset almost $1.2 billion in new and ongoing capital costs to meet soon to be enforced U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Long-Term Control Plan (LTCP) regulations as well as DELCORA’s ongoing capital program. DELCORA faces significant capital costs to comply with the Environmental Protection Agency’s Combined Sewer Long-Term Control Plan in Philadelphia and in Chester. A recent consent decree mandates that municipal wastewater authorities take steps to manage combined sewer systems including building new or replacing existing infrastructure. Because these mandates are unfunded, municipal authorities typically must increase rates to pay for the new capital costs.

The merger is now being reviewed by the Pennsylvania Utilities Commission.

About DELCORA

The Delaware County Water Quality Control Authority (DELCORA) is a municipal authority with an almost 50-year history of successfully treating wastewater for approximately 165,000 customers in 42 municipalities in Delaware and Chester counties. DELCORA is involved in the treatment of approximately 100 million gallons of wastewater every day. It is an independent municipal authority overseen by a board of directors.

Delaware County Council’s Move Will Cost Ratepayers – Article in the Delco Times on 5-26-2020.

Read more by clicking here.

Article from the Delco Times on 5-25-2020:

Read more by clicking here.

DELCORA Hosting Public Virtual Meetings

May 4, 2020

DELCORA’s Executive Director, Bob Willert, announced final plans for hosting the May 2020 Committee Meetings & DELCORA Board of Directors Meeting by means of a virtual meeting platform known as Zoom. This is the same platform that was used for the April 2020 meetings.

During this unprecedented time the health and safety of our employees, our customers and the community is our number one priority. We would like to maintain business operation as close to normal as possible, with the ability to host virtual meetings this allows us to do just that.

Members of the public are invited to join each of the DELCORA Committee Meetings as well as the DELCORA Board of Directors Meeting.

For each meeting there is a different access link. You will find that below under the appropriate meeting you wish to participate in.

The following meetings listed below will each be held utilizing Zoom Technology:

Human Resources & Administration Committee Meeting – May 11, 2020, 3:30PM

Members of the public are invited to join the Human Resources & Admin. Committee Meeting by accessing the meeting through this link:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84326600798?pwd=czhCWG01My9OdjNlOXpLS3R4M2RMdz09

Meeting ID: 843 2660 0798
Password: 663539

People can also join by telephone by calling one of the following phone numbers: +1 312 626 6799, +1 929 205 6099, +1 253 215 8782, +1 301 715 8592, +1 346 248 7799, +1 669 900 6833.

Strategic Planning & Goals Committee Meeting – May 11, 2020, 3:30PM

Members of the public are invited to join the Human Resources & Admin. Committee Meeting by accessing the meeting through this link:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84326600798?pwd=czhCWG01My9OdjNlOXpLS3R4M2RMdz09

Meeting ID: 843 2660 0798
Password: 663539

People can also join by telephone by calling one of the following phone numbers: +1 312 626 6799, +1 929 205 6099, +1 253 215 8782, +1 301 715 8592, +1 346 248 7799, +1 669 900 6833.

Operations & Engineering Committee Meeting – May 12, 2020, 3:30PM

Members of the public are invited to join the Operations & Engineering Committee Meeting by accessing the meeting through this link:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84679609962?pwd=QTJpdGhPc05vT1lmUjJJN1pOdzFuUT09

Meeting ID: 846 7960 9962
Password: 489283

People can also join by telephone by calling one of the following phone numbers: +1 312 626 6799, +1 929 205 6099, +1 253 215 8782, +1 301 715 8592, +1 346 248 7799, +1 669 900 6833.

Finance Committee Meeting – May 13, 2020, 3:30PM

Members of the public are invited to join the Finance Committee Meeting by accessing the meeting through this link:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88525286322?pwd=TnRIR1VvaDZLWGp1VnpETUY2Sko0dz09

Meeting ID: 885 2528 6322
Password: 581039

People can also join by telephone by calling one of the following phone numbers: +1 312 626 6799, +1 929 205 6099, +1 253 215 8782, +1 301 715 8592, +1 346 248 7799, +1 669 900 6833.

DELCORA Board of Directors Meeting – May 19, 2020, 3:30PM

Members of the public are invited to join the DELCORA Board of Directors Meeting by accessing the meeting through this link:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82368621500?pwd=SDM0aVB3dkEvSEdIeS81Sk1IWFBjUT09

Meeting ID: 823 6862 1500
Password: 161588

People can also join by telephone by calling one of the following phone numbers: +1 312 626 6799, +1 929 205 6099, +1 253 215 8782, +1 301 715 8592, +1 346 248 7799, +1 669 900 6833.

PUBLIC COMMENT/FORUM: Participants wishing to provide public comment will be able to do so by adhering to the following protocols:

When you join a Zoom meeting hosted by another user, you are considered an attendee. Beginning at 3:30 pm a public comment/forum will begin allowing anyone who wishes to speak publicly to be given 3 minutes. The public comment/forum time will only be at the beginning of each meeting. If there is no one from the public requesting to speak to the Board, the meeting will continue as usual.

There are 3 methods available to participate via Public Comment:

1. Zoom Chat/Phone – during the public meetings
2. Email public comment/question
3. Phone in public comment/question

If a public participant joins via the “zoom link” they can sign up by using the Zoom chat:

a) In your controls at the bottom window, click Chat. If you are on a mobile device, tap Participants, then Chat.
b) The chat window will open on the right side of your screen if you are not in full screen mode.
c) Please type your First and Last Name, Address and Topic of Discussion into the chat window to sign up for Public Comment and press Enter to send your message.
d) Public Comment will start promptly at 3:30 pm.
e) Time duration will be kept by the host and monitored to ensure the 3 minute time limit is adhered to.
f) Please be respectful of your time and others who may be awaiting their turn to speak as well.
If an individual chooses to join by phone and would like to participate in the public forum we ask for you to adhere to the following instructions:
a) When asked if there is anyone wishing to speak from the public, please at that time state your First and Last Name, Address and whether you have a question or comment.
b) The host will then call upon you again when it is your turn to speak.
c) If a question is asked a member of the Board or Staff will answer you question.
d) Again, public comment/forum will begin promptly at 3:30pm.

Public comments/questions may be submitted by email with the following information:

1) First & Last Name
2) Address
3) Comment/Questions
Emails can be sent immediately to: amadiol@delcora.org

If you do not have access to email you can call in your public comment to: 484-844-0482

Public meetings begin promptly at 3:30pm. All comments/questions sent in by Zoom chat/phone, email and phone will be read and addressed at the beginning of each meeting. Once all public comments/questions have been addressed the meeting will continue as usual.

Emailed or phoned/in comments deemed inappropriate will not be read into public record. Zoom chat/phone comments from an individual deemed inappropriate will force the host to remove that individual from the meeting and be removed from public record.

COMMITTEE MEETINGS: Will begin promptly at 3:30pm with the designated chair for each committee requesting those in attendance to engage in the Pledge of Allegiance. After, the meeting will commence as usual with the agenda for each given meeting.

DELCORA BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING: Will begin promptly at 3:30pm with the Chairman of the Board requesting those in attendance to engage in the Pledge of Allegiance. After, the meeting will commence as usual with the final Board agenda based on Committee Meetings recommendations of business.

DELCORA Board of Directors is asking everyone to be patient as using remote technology is a new endeavor. The DELCORA Board encourages all residents to stay vigilant and follow the safety measures that have been provided by the Governor’s office, County Council and the State Health Departments.