A $25,884 fee charged to the Upper Perkiomen School District by the Upper Hanover Authority, related to water use at Hereford Elementary, has been waived. However, the district will be required to pay the authority $85,392 in fees related to the construction of the new middle school, according to school board Member J.P. Prego, who updated the members during his Facilities Committee report on Jan. 26.

            In May, the authority sent a letter informing administrators that the district would be billed for six additional equivalent discharge units (EDUs) at Hereford. It requested immediate payment for the tapping fees, and states that the adjustment to the district's billing units is based on the school's consumption level in 2021.

            The authority claims to have discovered, during an audit, that the school's historic consumption has increased substantially or is in excess of 225 gallons per day. A resolution passed in 2001 permits an adjustment of unit billing and tapping fees where a water consumption allowance is exceeded, according to a letter signed by authority Manager Marita R. Thomson. Prego did not elaborate on why the fee was waived.

            However, the larger fees connected to the middle school – located at 901 Montgomery Ave. in Upper Hanover – have not been waived. The fees will be included in the upcoming budget cycle, according to Prego.

            On June 13, Thomson sent another notification to school district administrators requesting additional tapping fees for four additional EDUs at the middle school due to the discovery of historical water consumption increases or use in excess of 225 gallons per day.

            Additionally, the June 13 letter claims that authority officials were never compensated for the installation of 24 EDUs at the school. It states that records reflecting payment could not be located.

            In August, Melanie Cunningham -- the former facilities committee chair -- countered that the district never received notice from the authority for that work at the middle school.  Administrators have yet to discover an invoice.

            Following the meeting, Prego said Dan Direso, the district's business administrator, and Douglas Kenwood, its facilities director, have been searching for any documentation. The council member said the next step is to confer with the project engineer.

            In related news, Prego also reported that administrators discovered a malfunctioning boiler at Marlborough Elementary during a routine inspection. He estimated that replacing it could cost $600,000.

            He asked the board to consider whether the boiler, which he said can only operate in low power mode, should be repaired or replaced. Prego recommended that it resolve the issue before next winter.

            "I suggest we move with expedience," Prego said during the meeting. The boiler, which is 32 years old, is near the end of its expected life, according to the board member.

            Superintendent Allyn Roche said the issue could be resolved as part of the district's participation in a Guaranteed Energy Savings Act study.