A large increase in sewer rates has been proposed for customers of the Tamaqua Borough Authority, the organization overseeing the operation of the borough’s wastewater treatment facility.

Tamaqua Borough Council members heard the request for the increase during Tuesday night’s regular meeting.The request comes on the heels of an engineering review of the treatment facility by the engineering firm of Gannett Fleming that was completed last year. The review identified approximately $8.7 million worth of improvements that need to be done to the facility. Additionally, a long-term control plan was updated and submitted to DEP in 2014. The changes and improvements that are required as part of that plan are estimated to cost another $1.3 million, bringing the total amount of funding the authority needs to about $10 million.Brian Connely, chairman of the authority and also a member of council, submitted the request for a two-step increase, citing a need to secure financing for the proposed improvements.“We’ve had incremental upgrades over time,” he said, “but these are the kinds of projects we need to do now. Things have been patched together for the last 50 years.”Connely said that with the current income, the authority will not be able to secure financing. “We’re not bringing the money in to sustain any kind of project. It’s not a bad thing, but we can’t sustain it.”Currently, most homeowners are paying $65 per quarter or $260 annually.The authority is proposing a $20 per quarter increase be enacted for 2017, and then an additional $20 per quarter increase be added in 2018, bringing the quarterly payment to $105 and the annual payment to $420, almost double the current fees.According to acting borough manager Rob Jones, the last time the borough saw an increase in the sewer rates was 2004.“We are among the lowest in the state,” Connely said. “We can’t limp through anymore.” The only outstanding debt the authority currently has is the loan taken in 2015 to purchase a new “Camel” which was approximately $350,000.Council members noted the wastewater treatment plant is currently compliant with all state regulations and is fully operational.Council approved the advertisement of an ordinance to change the sewer rates as proposed by the authority.