Cheswick owes Springdale for water labor costs, judge rules

Cheswick owes Springdale about $3,200 for labor costs associated with Springdale providing Cheswick with water during an emergency last year, a Pittsburgh district judge has ruled.

District Judge Ron Costa Sr. issued his ruling after hearing arguments in his Morningside courtroom Monday morning.

Springdale provided Cheswick with about 772,000 gallons of water from May 28 through June 1, 2016, after Cheswick's connection with Harmar went down. Cheswick normally buys its water from Harmar.

Springdale charged Cheswick about $4,600 for the water, which Cheswick paid.

The labor charge was attributed to overtime workers incurred, over a holiday weekend, in operating the plant to pump water to Cheswick to keep its reservoir filled.

Springdale solicitor Craig Alexander argued that Springdale taxpayers should not bear the cost of the extra hours worked, which benefited Cheswick.

Cheswick solicitor Tony Colangelo tried to persuade the judge that the labor costs were included in the $6-per-1,000 gallons charge for the water, the same rate Springdale charges its own customers.

The lawyers argued over whether Springdale had charged Cheswick for labor separately in the past, each producing evidence of when Springdale did and did not.

Cheswick has 30 days to appeal the decision.

Cheswick Secretary Andy Bock said council would have to discuss it at its next meeting.

Brian C. Rittmeyer is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at 724-226-4701, brittmeyer@tribweb.com or viaTwitter @BCRittmeyer.