Council committee gives affirmative recommendation to bill of sale transferring water infrastructure to PWSA after extended questioning

A City of Pittsburgh standing committee on Nov. 19 recommended approval of a bill of sale that would formalize transfer of the city—s water, sewer and stormwater infrastructure to the Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority (PWSA).

Deputy Mayor and Director of the Office of Management and Budget Jake Pawlak said the bill implements an option in a 1995 capital lease that gives PWSA the right to buy the system for $1. He said the bill—s primary purpose is to "clearly establish the meets and bounds of the system" so there is no ongoing dispute about which entity owns which assets. "It conveys to Pittsburgh Water their major facilities," Pawlak said, and clarifies limited exceptions for infrastructure that was never accepted by the city.

Will Pickering, PWSA chief executive officer, told the committee the measure largely "formalizes things we—re already doing" and that PWSA has invested heavily in system capital work. "Since 1995, the authority has invested 1 and a half billion dollars in the water and sewer system," Pickering said, adding the transfer would not change governance, oversight by the Public Utility Commission (PUC) or day‑to‑day operations.

Council members pressed the administration and PWSA on several concerns. Lawmakers cited past problems under private management contracts, including the Veolia era, and asked whether the bill would open pathways to future privatization or permit management contracts that remove accountability. Pawlak and Pickering said the Home Rule Charter amendment passed by voters and PUC oversight limit privatization risk, but they acknowledged the bill of sale addresses ownership not operational-management agreements. "It is a topic for subsequent action," Pawlak said, referring to possible future ordinances or contractual limits.

Members also raised constituent complaints about private sewer laterals and inconsistent records showing which lines the city owns. Pickering confirmed gaps in inspection and mapping data and said PWSA is exploring programs and regulatory approaches with the PUC to help customers with costly lateral repairs.

The committee adopted a friendly amendment requiring that the executed bill of sale be filed with council and that any changes made after PUC review trigger referral back to the council. The PUC has a 30‑day review window for executed municipal agreements; staff said the PUC can request clarifications or register objections, but any material changes would require the city and PWSA to re‑sign.

Council members asked the city law department to provide a written opinion about the legal implications and the protections in the agreement before the final vote at full council. Pawlak said the administration would provide the requested law‑department opinion and file the executed agreement and the PUC—s response as communications to council.

Next steps: The city and PWSA are expected to sign the bill of sale and file it with the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission for its 30‑day review. Any PUC objections or negotiated changes would be returned to the parties, and — under the committee amendment — would be sent to council for review before final execution.