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Clairton Residents Protest Skyrocketing Sewer Bills

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - On a frigid winter's day, people marched and huddled in Clairton, concerned about being forced out of their homes, their water shut off.

"And it's just a shame because they've got to make decisions to get their medicine or their food or pay for their water and some people can't do it," said Artrena McKenzie.

Under mandate from the state and federal government to quit dumping raw sewage into the Mon River, the Clairton Municipal Authority has tripled it's rates, and issued hundreds of shutoff notices to those who can't pay.

"If I have to make a choice between paying a sewage bill and eating, and they're going to turn my water off, I'm going to pay my sewage bill, but how am I gong to eat," said Sharlene Wade-Prescott.

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The sewage authority says it has no choice.

"We don't want to do it, but there's no other way to make people make the payment they need to make to meet our obligations," said a representative of the sewage authority.

The federal government is mandating sewer upgrades throughout the region, causing rates to skyrocket. Clairton is one of the first communities but many more will follow.

State Senator Jim Brewster is sponsoring a bill to help people on the edge pay for their water and sewer bills, the problems is finding the money.

"We tend to find money for just about everything when it comes to water and sewer shutoff that's a pretty basic service," Brewster said.

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