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Duquesne Seeks Price on Water System
City officials say no sale imminent; council member expresses concerns
By Tom Leturgey
The Tube City Almanac
October 09, 2025
Posted in: Duquesne News
Duquesne City Council will put a price on the possible sale of its water system, but said there are no plans to divest the municipality of the water department.
At Tuesday’s council meeting, the city authorized administrators to request proposals for the sale of the Duquesne water distribution system.
City officials said the request for proposals will allow the city to determine the market value of its water system before investing in needed upgrades to comply with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and state Department of Environmental Protection requirements.
Duquesne faces “significant liabilities and responsibilities that come with running a system of our size and significant resources are going to be needed” to meet EPA and DEP mandates, city officials said.
City officials said no decision has been made to sell the water system.
“This just gives us information, just to see what numbers are out there,” Council Member Aaron Adams said.
Council Member Elaine Washington was the lone dissenter on the 4-1 vote.
“I dissented because I need to see why the water department is in this financial position along with this request,” she said after the meeting. “Shouldn't we propose (or) investigate increasing water rates, reconnect (fees) and other fees, as well as consistent termination for delinquent accounts, before or alongside this proposal?
“I realize this is just a request to see its value, but we have been down this road before with our sewage department and our residents need to know we are trying to exhaust all avenues,” Washington said. “I feel in any troubling financial situation, anyone would look to see where they could consolidate (and) eliminate and then consider that dreadful alternative.”
Duquesne sold its sewerage system to the Municipal Authority of McKeesport in 2010 for $3.5 million after the city was confronted with a $15 million price tag to upgrade the sewage treatment plant.
But then, seven years later, McKeesport sold its sewerage system — including the Duquesne sewer network — to Pennsylvania American Water Company, a private business. Some residents have complained since then about higher bills for sewer service.
McKeesport sold its water system in the 1980s to the Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County.
Neighboring communities to Duquesne, including West Mifflin, get their water from private companies, including Pennsylvania American.
In other business, the city’s new code enforcement officer, Dave Sabo, gave a report to council. During the past six months, he said, the city has issued 581 code violations and resolved 545 of them.
About 75 percent of the concerns related to high weeds, high grass and garbage violations, Sabo said.
Some cases have wound up going to Magisterial District Judge Scott Schricker’s office for resolution, Sabo said.
Sabo says his next hearing date for six cases is December 10.
Mayor R. Scott Adams asked Sabo how the process works. Sabo said that if the city receives a complaint, he goes to the property to investigate. He will take photos and send a letter to the property owner.
He will follow up two weeks later. If the situation isn’t resolved, the property owner could have as much as a month “to work things out” before the citation is referred to the magistrate, Sabo said.
“This is a long time coming,” Mayor Adams said.
Sabo said he is available to answer questions from the public at (412) 896-8753 or via email at dsabo@duquesnepa.us.
Originally published October 09, 2025.
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