Hazle Twp. residents fear being left dry due to water project

HAZLE TWP., LUZERNE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — A controversy is unfolding in the Hazleton area involving a major water line replacement project.

Residents reached out to the I-Team for help after receiving shut-off notices from the Hazleton City Authority.

Residents are supposed to hook up to the new water line, but many residents say they cannot afford the cost of the work, which can be anywhere from $1,000 to $7,000 dollars.

Other residents claim they were never told about the hook-ups.

Some residents in the Hazleton area say they are being treated unfairly by the water authority, and claim their water service is being shut off.

The controversy centers on a major water line replacement project in the Hazleton area. Residents reached out to the I-team for help claiming their concerns and questions are not be answered by the water authority.

28/22 News I-team reporter Andy Mehalshick is working the story, and joins us live from Hazle Township.

The Hazleton City Authority, which provides water service to much of the greater Hazleton area, has been replacing old water lines in the Hazle Township area and beyond for the past year or so.

A new main water line will provide water to this area, but customers have to hook up to that water line. Some residents say they cannot afford to pay for that hook up.

“It has been an epic PR fail on behalf of the water authority,” stated Brittany Lopo of Hazle Township.

And 28/22 News has heard that over and over again from residents in Hazle Township. They reached out to the I-team after they say they received water shut off notices from the Hazleton Water Authority.

The project began last year entails replacing some seven miles of a water main line, much of that project centers on communities on or near Route 940. Residents have to hook up to the new water line because the old water lines were very old and leaking.

But for some folks they cannot afford the cost of that hook up work which could range anywhere from $1,000 to $7,000 dollars.

Residents claim they were never informed about their responsibilities and say the next thing they knew they started receiving shut off notices from the water authority.

Water service would be shut off on July 31 so they had to connect to the new water line. Residents say it’s unfair.

“We have a bunch of elderly people in the neighborhood that can’t afford it. They said they told us a year ago. I was never talked to about it,” voiced Victoria Hunsinger of Hazle Township.

Scott Burkhardt is Director of Operations for the Hazleton City Authority, and he insists they did inform residents and showed me the letters sent to customers.

“No, we’re not going to leave anyone without water. I mean we’re going to make arrangements. If we have to do temporary things we have to get done, but we have to put a time frame on it,” explained Burkhardt.

Burkhardt says the HCA is trying to secure financial aid to those folks who need it.

“So we are trying to help the best we can. We have like run into dead ends with financial help with a grant or anything like that,” said Burkhardt.

28/22 News have reached out to several state lawmakers regarding possible funding help, but have not heard back.

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