The West Penn Township supervisors continue to question the large cost of a sewer project that is required by the state Department of Environmental Protection.

The supervisors got an update on their Act 537 sewage management plan on Monday. They are working to submit a new plan in compliance with state law.The Act 537 plan will affect residents differently depending on the age of their septic system. Many will just have to show that they have had their septic tank pumped once every three years.But the state also wants West Penn and Walker Townships to build facilities to replace malfunctioning septic systems on more than two dozen residences, a project that is expected to cost the township more than $1 million.West Penn Township resident Bill Varano, who serves on the townships' joint sewage committee, said that the fees charged to residents will only cover a portion of the bill. The rest will either have to be subsidized with grants or paid for through the township's general fund - i.e. taxpayers.Supervisor Anthony Prudenti said he disagrees with the state's position that the township has to clean up residents' malfunctioning systems."This township isn't going to fix my sewage if it breaks. So I don't understand how DEP expects us to pay for the malfunctioning systems," Prudenti said.The plan includes a few alternatives to convey the sewage from homes that currently have malfunctioning systems. Prudenti pointed out that if the township just built new sand mounds on each of the properties, it would cost a lot less than the proposed sewage facilities."Why can't we just fix their systems ourselves," he asked.But Varano said that even with that system, some properties are too small to support a sand mound - so they need a small "community system" that is larger than a sand mound, but much less costly than a full sewage treatment plant.Prudenti said with the cost to provide the sewage, it would be more cost effective for the township to condemn the homes rather than build them new sewage systems.Varano said that was a moral decision."Do we bankrupt the township, or condemn the homes," Prudenti said, weighing his options.Other businessThe supervisors are also considering moving the township's historic train station, which currently sits near the intersection of routes 309 and 895.Prudenti said that the property is changing hands, and the township's lease of the property could be subject to change.Currently, the township pays about $250 per year in insurance for the building, as a term of the lease.Prudenti said that by moving the station to Municipal Drive, they could save money.He said it could also enable the building to be used as a township "information center."