Upper Dublin Township Authority/ Upper Dublin Township Municipal Authority

The Upper Dublin Township Authority, often referred to Upper Dublin Municipal Authority, was in existence from 1952 (UD Ord 72A (10/07/1952) to 1996. (UD Res 1595 (09/10/1996). Its function was to construct and maintain sewers within designated sewer districts, later abolished, and the operation of the Upper Dublin sewer treatment plant. Its operations were financed through sewer connection fees and water usage charges, with bond issues financing capital projects. (In neighboring communities the entity with similar functions was usually named as a” sewer authority.”)

Creation of sewer districts, providing municipalities a means for financing sewer construction in areas to be serviced by a municipal sewer system, were authorized by sections 2507 and 2508 of Act 69 of 1933.

Municipal authorities were organized pursuant to the Act of May 2, 1945 (P.L. 382, No. 164), referred to as the Municipality Authorities Act of 1945, repealed by the Act of June 19, 2001 (P.L. 287, No. 22), and replaced by 53 Pa. C.S. § 5607(d)(24).

In September 1970 the Township entered into an agreement with the Upper Dublin Township Authority as lessor of its sewer system. UD Ord 412 (09/1970).

Cost of sewers for Loch Alsh Rd & Hoffman Rd UD Ord. 201 02/1960

Sanitary sewers Avenue G, H & J UD Ord. 210 09/1960

Sanitary sewers-Pennsylvania Ave UD Ord. 213 11/1960

Sanitary sewers-Sunnycrest Ave & North Hills UD Ord. 217 01/1961

Fitzwaterown Rd. sanitary sewers UD Ord. 219 01/1961

North Fitzwatertown Sewer District UD Ord. 242 12/1961

Sanitary sewers at Chelsea Ave UD Ord. 249 04/1962

East Oreland Sewer UD Ord. 92 04/1954; UD Ord 99 05/1954 & UD Ord. 251 08/1962

Fort Washington Sewer District charges UD Ord. 208 09/1960 & UD Ord 252 08/1962 & UD Ord. 386 11/1969

Aidenn Lair Sewer District 258 12/1962

Alba Road sanitary sewers 263 03/1963

Sanitary sewer construction on Susquehanna Road 272 10/1963

Establishes Meetinghouse Sewer District 351 02/1968 & 388 12/1969

Changes boundaries of Rose Valley Sewer District UD Ord 360 08/1968 & changes again 367 12/1968 & 386 11/1969 & 387 11/1969 $800,000 loan & 403 05/1970 short term loan & 406 08/1970

Kirks Lane/ Harris Sewers (ordains) 638 03/15/1983

That authority was a party to at least one reported legal case: Upper Dublin Township Authority v. Piszek, 420 Pa. 536 (Pa. 1966) (existence of and power of Authority pursuant to action by Board of Commissioners to condemn a portion of the property at issue for sewage disposal was confirmed by Pennsylvania Supreme Court). Most of that property at 1901 Pennsylvania Avenue, ultimately owned by Spring House Land, Inc. (Sal Paone). With Emlen House, its historic house in which George Washington actually stayed for about six weeks before moving onto Valley Forge, sold, the remainder of the tract is now dedicated as the Piszek Preserve under the control of the Wissahickon Valley Watershed Association.

In 2016 a new Upper Dublin Township Municipal Authority was authorized by the Board of Commissioners to focus on fostering development in the Fort Washington Office Park. It is financed through assessments on the properties within that district (and thereby not compelling other landowners and residents to bear the cost of the improvements within the boundaries of its designated area as well as operation of the Authority itself. Since its creation, it has been chaired by former Board of Commissioners president Robert Pesavento.