Authority of Boro of Charleroi

Authority of Boro of Charleroi Municipal Water Report Info

The Charleroi Water Company was established in 1890 to provide water service to Charleroi and North Charleroi in Fallowfield Township. Charleroi incorporated as a borough in 1892, while North Charleroi followed in 1910. The Monessen Water Company formed in 1897 to serve the Monessen community in Rostraver Township, which became a borough in 1898 and later a city in 1921.

Donora Water Company incorporated in 1900, with Donora achieving borough status in 1901. Each community initially maintained separate water supplies from the Monongahela River, except Donora which received water from Union Steel Company (later American Steel and Wire Company).

In 1912, Pittsburgh's Mellon interests acquired controlling shares in Monessen Water Company before purchasing the remaining Monessen stock and the entirety of Charleroi and Donora Water Companies. On June 29, 1912, these three separate systems merged to create the Tri-Cities Water Company.

The Charleroi intake facility and filtration plant underwent significant improvements, while Monessen and Donora water sources were phased out. Main line extensions, river crossings, and distribution system connections integrated these three networks into a unified distribution system serving all communities. Additional system enhancements occurred in 1912, 1921, and 1938.

The Authority of the Borough of Charleroi was established on August 29, 1938, under Pennsylvania's Municipal Authority Act of 1935 (P.L. 463), initially to develop a recreational center. When those plans proved unfeasible due to industrial land use, the Authority was repurposed. In 1942, the Authority reorganized to acquire the Tri-Cities Water Company, completing the purchase in December 1942.

System expansions and water quality improvements continued in 1949, 1954, 1962, 1966, 1970, 1976, and 1983. In 1966, the Authority acquired the water systems of Speers Borough, Dunlevy Borough, and Fallowfield Township, connecting these to the main network. That same year, the Authority contracted to supply water to Bentleyville Water Authority.

Today, the Authority serves Charleroi, North Charleroi, Dunlevy, Speers, Donora, Bentleyville, Twilight, Ellsworth, Somerset Township, and Fallowfield Township in Washington County, plus Monessen City and portions of Rostraver Township in Westmoreland County.

Recent infrastructure improvements include modern membrane filtration technology, enhanced electrical systems, and environmental upgrades directing treatment residuals to proper sewage facilities for processing.