"We've met with (the commissioners), and we have an interest in buying their system," Michael Kyle, LASA's executive director, said.

Before a decision is made, however, both sides want to hear what the public thinks.

The commissioners will host an informational meeting in Manheim Township High School at 7 p.m. Monday.

"Our goal is to hear whether people are in favor of it or not, and why or why not," Commissioner Harry Ritter said. "This is not a done deal."

LASA will host a meeting at 7 p.m. July 29 in East Hempfield Township's municipal building.

Ritter and Kyle declined to discuss the specifics of the potential sale before Monday's meeting, at which Ritter said the township will make a presentation before taking public comment.

LASA serves 17,500 customers in East Petersburg and Mountville boroughs and Lancaster, East Hempfield, West Hempfield and Manor townships. It also serves about half of Manheim Township.

Of the 17,500, Manheim Township counts as only one customer, Kyle said, because LASA bills the township for its services. The township then bills its 10,800 customers in the western half of the township, which is the area served by LASA.

The rest of the township sends its wastewater to City of Lancaster's treatment plant. Upper Leacock and East Lampeter townships also pump some of their wastewater to the city plant through Manheim Township's sewer lines.

Manheim Township commissioners announced in January 2002 their interest in selling the township's sewer system.

At that time, Commissioner Bernard Gordon said the system's 160 miles of pipe and its pumping stations were worth about $26.4 million, according to the township's annual budget.

Whether someone will pay that much remains to be seen, Gordon said.

The commissioners have said they are interested in selling the sewer system because it's becoming more expensive to maintain. They also said a sale could generate funds that could be used to help develop the 140-acre former Schwartz Nurseries property, which is adjacent to Overlook Golf Course.

Manheim Township bought the property in 1997 to provide a recreational and cultural center for residents.

Since then, the commissioners have said they want to use as few taxpayer dollars as possible to develop the park.

"The sewer system is an asset we have that we can turn into cash," Gordon said last year. "That cash could be used as seed money for the Overlook Park."

Since announcing their interest in selling the system, the commissioners have said they will sell only if safeguards are built into the sale agreement protecting township residents from severe rate hikes imposed by the new owners.

Kyle said Monday that LASA will move forward with the purchase of the township's system only if the deal can be completed without LASA having to raise its customers' rates.

He said he thinks the deal could be a good one because LASA can "provide an economy of scale that is beneficial to us and the township."

Manheim Township's sewer system generates about $5.5 million in revenue each year. That money stays in the township's sewer fund, so selling the system would not result in the loss of funds for other township services, township manager Jim Martin said.

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