The Allegheny County Sanitary Authority will hold a series of meetings over the next few weeks to gather public input on federally mandated sewer system upgrades expected to cost billions of dollars and result in increased rates.

Nancy Barylak, an Alcosan spokeswoman, said the meetings scheduled in each drainage basin will provide an opportunity for public comment on plans for sewer system improvements that must be finalized by January 2013.

"That's just a little more than two years from now and not much time," Ms. Barylak said. "These meetings won't provide specifics about what will be done and costs, but are important forums to educate and gather information."

The authority treats an average of 200 million gallons of wastewater daily at its North Side treatment plant along the Ohio River, providing service for 320,000 customers in 83 communities including Pittsburgh.

Because storms regularly carry untreated sewage into streams and rivers in the Pittsburgh region in violation of the federal Clean Water Act, the 83 municipalities in Alcosan's service area are under a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency order to repair broken sewer lines, reduce the frequency of combined sewer overflows and eliminate sanitary sewer overflows. The cost of complying with that order has been estimated at more than $3 billion over 20 years.

Alcosan rates have been rising steadily -- up 16 percent this year over 2008 and expected to rise next year too, but by less than 10 percent, Ms. Barylak said.

Meetings dates and locations are:

• Monday, Penn Hills Senior Center, 147 Jefferson Road, Penn Hills

• Tuesday, Whitehall Borough Building, 100 Borough Park Drive, Whitehall, and the Brashear Association, 2005 Sarah St., South Side.

• Next Wednesday, Parkview Banquet Hall, 726 Midway Drive, Aspinwall.

• Nov. 12, Union Project, 801 N. Negley Ave., East Liberty.

• Nov. 16, Mt. Lebanon Recreation Center, 900 Cedar Blvd., and North Versailles Library, 1401 Greensburg Ave., North Versailles.

• Nov. 17, Oakdale Community Room, 104 Seminary Ave., and Hilltop United Methodist Church, 631 E. Warrington Ave., Knoxville.

• Nov. 18, Sharpsburg Borough Building, 1611 Main St., and Avalon Borough Building, 640 California Ave.

• Nov. 19, Courtyard by Marriott, 401 W. Waterfront Drive, West Homestead.

Doors will open at 7:00 p.m. for each session and a brief presentation will begin at 7:30 p.m.

For more information, visit www.alcosan.org.

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