Telephone, in-person merger hearings scheduled

The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) is reminding consumers and other interested parties about in-person and telephonic hearings next week to gather public input on the proposed merger between Pennsylvania American Water Company (PAWC) and Community Utilities of Pennsylvania (CUPA).

CUPA serves water and wastewater customers in Northampton, Monroe, Pike and Chester counties.

PAWC and CUPA filed the application with the Commission seeking approval of the merger before the transaction can be closed. If the Commission were to approve the merger, the change of control of CUPA from Nexus Regulated Utilities LLC to American Water Works Company Inc. (American Water) would be finalized. American Water owns 100% of the stock of PAWC.

CUPA provides water service to approximately 3,212 water customers (3,164 residential and 48 commercial) in three service territories in Hanover Township, Northampton County; Stroud and Pocono townships, Monroe County; and Lehman Township, Pike County.

CUPA provides wastewater service to approximately 3,846 sewer customers to three service territories in West Bradford Township, Chester County; Stroud and Pocono townships, Monroe County; and Lehman Township, Pike County.

One public in-person meeting will be held in Pike County on Tuesday Sept. 23 at the Glen at Tamiment Community Center located at 314 Underhill Drive in Tamiment, Pa. The hearing will begin at 6 p.m.

Two telephone public input hearings will be held on Wednesday Sept. 24. Telephonic hearing #1 will begin at 1 p.m. and Telephonic hearing #2 will begin at 6 p.m.

PUC Administrative Law Judge Erin L. Gannon will preside over the hearings.

To access the telephone hearings, call Toll-Free Conference Number at (866) 759-6860. Use PIN Number: 71568747. After entering the PIN number when instructed, speak your name when prompted, and press #.The telephone system will then connect you to the hearing.

To pre-register, please email Judge Gannon’s legal assistant, Sumathi Jayakumar Raj, at sumjayakum@pa.gov or call (717) 787-4972 and provide the following information:

If you need assistance pre-registering to testify, someone register for you, but they will need to provide the PUC Judge with all the information listed above. Additionally, if more than one person in your household would like to testify, one person may pre-register for other individuals in the same household by providing the PUC Judge’s legal assistant with the information for each individual planning to testify.

If you require an interpreter, please pre-register as soon as possible and indicate the need for one. If an interpreter is requested, the PUC will make reasonable efforts to have one present.

If you have questions about the public input hearings, you may contact the Pennsylvania Office of Consumer Advocate (toll-free) at 1-800-684-6560 or by email at consumer@paoca.org or contact the Pennsylvania Office of Small Business Advocate at (717) 783-2525 or osba@pa.gov.