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By LORI GABRIELE Times Leader Correspondent
Wednesday, February 09, 2000 Page: 3A
DUPONT – Council President Ann Marie O’Malley said during Tuesday’s council
meeting she was called Monday night to investigate sickening fumes inside two
residences on Hillside Avenue.
O’Malley said she called the Fire Department, which contacted officials at
the state Department of Environmental Protection. Inspectors concluded the
fumes were coming from the sewer into the sinks and toilets in the homes.
“The smell was so very strong that you smell it coming through the
commodes and sinks,” O’Malley said. “DEP is working to rectify the
situation.”
She said the inspectors were not sure what was causing the odor, but
thought it was most likely household cleaning agents that had been poured into
the sewer system. O’Malley did not feel the substances were dumped into the
sewer with malicious intent.
O’Malley said the DEP took air and water samples and will continue to
monitor the situation.
DEP officials were unavailable for comment Tuesday night.
In other business, Councilman Matt Szumski confronted borough Secretary Al
Dubeck about an outstanding water bill from the Pennsylvania American Water
Co. for water service to fire hydrants.
Szumski was outraged that only $1,634 was acknowledged during the public
reading of the bills, when the total overdue amount is $33,150. He then handed
out copies of the overdue bill to the public, showing payments haven’t been
since Feb. 3.
Szumski asked why the bill wasn’t paid. O’Malley and Dubeck responded that
the bill is being handled. O’Malley then informed Dubeck to continue reading
the rest of the bills.
“The interest on the water bill is $3,525 over a year and a half. As a
taxpayer this is ridiculous,” Szumski said.
But O’Malley said the municipality is exempt from paying interest on the
overdue water bill.