McCandless township sanitary authority

What McCandless township sanitary authority does

The McCandless Township Sanitary Authority (MTSA) is a Pennsylvania municipal authority incorporated on December 30, 1955, that provides regional wastewater collection and treatment services across a 44-square-mile service area in northern Allegheny County. The Authority owns and operates four wastewater treatment plants — Pine Creek (6.0 MGD activated sludge), Longvue No. 1 (1.95 MGD Sequential Batch Reactor), Longvue No. 2 (0.1 MGD high-rate trickling filter), and the Lowries Run interceptor — supported by 21 pumping stations, 11,864 manholes, and more than 407 miles of 8 to 42 inch gravity sewer. MTSA serves approximately 52,000 residents through 19,081 residential and 822 commercial accounts across seven municipalities, including the Town of McCandless, Franklin Park Borough, Bradford Woods Borough, Pine Township, Marshall Township, and portions of Hampton and Ross Townships. The Authority also provides operation and maintenance services to neighboring Marshall Township Sanitary Authority and Ohio Township Sanitary Authority under inter-municipal agreements.

MTSA's revenue model is a regulated subscription structure anchored on quarterly base service charges ($41.75 per quarter) plus metered user charges ($8.87-$12.94 per 1,000 gallons depending on customer class), with one-time tap fees of $5,900 per Equivalent Dwelling Unit, inspection/testing fees, and ancillary services such as dye testing, deduct meters, lien letters, and High Strength Sewage Concentration permits for commercial and institutional users. The technology backbone combines conventional activated sludge and SBR treatment with ultraviolet disinfection, fine-bubble diffusion aeration, variable frequency drives, and trenchless rehabilitation methods (pipe bursting, cure-n-place lining) that materially reduce capital and operating costs. Online bill pay is delivered through Huntington BillerIQ, and infrastructure is visualized through an ArcGIS Web AppBuilder system map. Pine Creek Phase I of the Long-Term Control Plan Upgrade Project, underway since 2022 and updated through March 2025, adds advanced ammonia nitrogen and TSS reduction and forward capability for total nitrogen and total phosphorus control, replacing chlorination with UV disinfection.

Name

McCandless township sanitary authority

Legal name

The McCandless Township Sanitary Authority

Website

https://mtsaonline.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1955

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The McCandless Township Sanitary Authority is a Pennsylvania municipal authority providing wastewater collection and treatment services to roughly 52,000 residents across seven municipalities in northern Allegheny County via 4 treatment plants, 21 pumping stations, and over 407 miles of sewer, funded by quarterly user charges and connection fees.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Municipal Wastewater Treatment Services

NAICS

Sewage Treatment Facilities (22132), Sewage Treatment Facilities (221320), Water, Sewage and Other Systems (2213)

SIC

Sanitary Services (4950)

akta.pro primary industry

Emergency Response & Sewer Repair (Blockages, Collapses) (EUANACAL)

Keywords

• Municipal wastewater treatment
• Sanitary sewer services
• Wastewater collection systems
• Sewage treatment facilities
• Public utility services

Headquarters

HQ city

Pittsburgh

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Infrastructure, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Sewer Service Charges: Quarterly billing for sewer service consisting of Base Service Charge ($41.75/quarter) plus User Charge based on water consumption ($8.87-$12.94 per 1,000 gallons depending on customer class). This is the primary revenue stream from residential, commercial, and institutional customers.
2. Tap Connection Fees: Fees charged for new sewer connections: Uniform tap fee of $5,900.00 per EDU, plus additional fees for specific watersheds and inspection fees.
3. Inspection and Testing Fees: Various fees including lateral connection inspection ($60 each), dye testing ($50-$75), deduct meter installation ($60), grease trap inspection ($50), and other service-related fees.
4. Well Water Service Charges: Residential customers on private water supply billed estimated consumption charge of $84.00 per quarter plus Base Service Charge.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

MTSA provides regional wastewater collection and treatment services to approximately 52,000 customers across a 44 square mile service area in northern Allegheny County through four treatment plants, 21 pumping stations, 11,864 manholes, and over 407 miles of sewer infrastructure. Ancillary customer-facing services include dye testing, tap connection and demolition, deduct meter installation, lien letters, food service compliance permitting, direct debit payment, and online bill pay.

Product overview

McCandless Township Sanitary Authority (MTSA) is a regional municipal authority providing wastewater collection and treatment services across a 44 square mile area in northern Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. The organization operates a unified infrastructure system consisting of 4 treatment plants (Pine Creek with 6.0 MGD capacity, Longvue No. 1 at 1.95 MGD, Longvue No. 2 at 0.1 MGD, plus Lowries Run watershed), 21 pumping stations, 11,864 manholes, and over 407 miles of sewer lines serving approximately 52,000 residents through 19,081 residential and 822 commercial accounts. Core services include wastewater treatment, sewer collection, and infrastructure maintenance, supported by customer-facing modules for online bill pay, direct debit payments, deduct meters, lien letters, dye testing, tap connections, and food service establishment compliance programs. The authority's largest asset, the Pine Creek facility, recently completed Phase I of a Long-Term Control Plan upgrade including UV disinfection installation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Wastewater Collection and Treatment Services Comprehensive regional wastewater collection and treatment services provided through four treatment plants, 21 pumping stations, 11,864 manholes, and over 407 miles of gravity sewer serving approximately 52,000 residential, commercial, and institutional customers across a 44 square mile area in northern Allegheny County, Pennsylvania.
• Pine Creek Wastewater Treatment Facility Activated sludge treatment plant with 6.0 MGD capacity and ultraviolet disinfection, serving over 12,500 customers in Bradford Woods Borough, Franklin Park Borough, Marshall Township, Pine Township, Town of McCandless, and portions of Hampton Township. Phase I upgrade added advanced ammonia nitrogen and total suspended solids reduction capabilities and replaced chlorination with UV disinfection.
• Longvue No. 1 Wastewater Treatment Plant Sequential Batch Reactor (SBR) treatment plant with 1.95 MGD capacity and ultraviolet disinfection, located at 1275 Hazlett Road, serving Town of McCandless and boundaries of Hampton Township and Ross Township under Sewage Permit #4675028 (NPDES PA0025992).
• Longvue No. 2 Wastewater Treatment Plant High-rate trickling filter treatment plant with 100,000 GPD capacity serving customers in Town of McCandless and Ross Township in the upper Girty's Run watershed under Sewage Permit #8046-T1 (NPDES PA0028193).
• Sewer Collection System Comprehensive sanitary sewer collection system consisting of 21 pumping stations (capacities 50-2,900 gallons per minute), 11,864 manholes, and over 407 miles of 8-inch to 42-inch diameter gravity sewer lines.
• Direct Debit Payment Service Automatic bank account debit payment service for sewer bills, debited on the due date at no charge to the customer. Requires authorization form and voided check.
• Online Bill Pay Portal Online payment portal for sewer service bills powered by the Huntington BillerIQ system, allowing customers to pay quarterly bills online.
• Deduct Meter Installation Secondary meter installation service that measures non-sewage water consumption such as irrigation, ensuring customers are not billed for water not entering the sanitary sewer system. Includes $60 initial installation inspection, $60 reinspection, and $45 annual reading fee.
• Lien Letter Service Property lien research and certification for property sales or refinancing, confirming sewer service availability and outstanding fees. Priced at $25.00 per letter with a 3-day preparation time.
• Dye Testing Services Certification testing service to verify that private sewer systems are not allowing illegal water connections. Includes interior inspection and exterior field testing. Administrative/documentation fee $50.00, exterior field testing $75.00/test, interior inspection and testing $50.00, and $60.00 no-show/cancellation fee.
• Tap and Demolition Services Sewer tap connection and demolition services for new connections and property demolitions, including inspection of lateral connections. Uniform tap fee of $5,900.00 per Equivalent Dwelling Unit (EDU), plus watershed-specific fees and inspection charges.
• High Strength Sewage Concentration Compliance Program Compliance program for commercial and industrial customers (restaurants, hospitals, nursing homes, schools) discharging high-strength sewage with elevated BOD, TSS, pH, and FOG levels. Includes sampling, testing, and surcharge assessment.
• Food Service Establishment Permit Application Permit application for food service establishments requiring grease removal systems conforming to MTSA Minimum Standards and Allegheny County Health Department requirements.
• System Wide GIS Map Interactive GIS web application (ArcGIS Web AppBuilder) displaying the authority's sewer infrastructure including collection lines, pumping stations, and service areas for public reference.

Quantifiable outcome

• Treatment capacity of 6 million gallons per day at Pine Creek facility serving over 12,500 customers
• +7 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Marshall Township Sanitary AuthoritycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMTSA provides operation and maintenance services for 2 pump stations and additional service under an inter-municipal agreement with Marshall Township Sanitary Authority.
• Ohio Township Sanitary AuthoritycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMTSA provides operation and maintenance services for 6 pump stations and 2 treatment plants under an inter-municipal agreement with Ohio Township Sanitary Authority.
• ALCOSANcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional partnership - Lowries Run interceptor sewer is jointly owned and managed with Ross Township, contributing flows to ALCOSAN treatment plant. ALCOSAN awarded MTSA a GROW Green grant of $580,200 (85% reimbursement) for one project that reduced daily dry weather flow by 140,000 gallons.
• KLH Engineers, Inc.coreTechnology or IntegrationKLH Engineers, Inc. serves as the Authority's Engineer of Record at their Pittsburgh office (5173 Campbells Run Road). They conducted the MTSA Act 203 Water Use Consumption Study Update dated September 26, 2025.
• Dickie, McCamey & Chilcote, P.C.coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerRonald J. Brown, Esquire serves as Solicitor for the Authority from their Pittsburgh office (Two PPG Place, Suite 400).
• Maher DuesselcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerMaher Duessel, Certified Public Accountants, serves as Auditor for the Authority from their Pittsburgh office (503 Martindale St.).
• Duquesne Light WATTS Choices ProgramminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnergy efficiency program partnership for capacitor bank installations and peak power demand reduction, achieving 50,000 kW reduction in demand and $20,000 annual cost savings.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• American Water Works Company: Largest publicly traded water and wastewater utility in the United States serving over 14 million people; comparable as a regulated water/wastewater utility operator with similar treatment, collection, and regulatory compliance business model, though at vastly greater scale and as a for-profit public company.
• Veolia Water North America: Operates water and wastewater services for municipal and industrial clients across the U.S.; comparable as a major outsourced utility operator that contracts with municipal authorities for treatment plant operations, directly relevant to MTSA's inter-municipal O&M service model.
• Essential Utilities: Multi-state water and natural gas utility serving ~5 million people across 10 states with significant Pennsylvania operations; comparable as a regulated water/wastewater utility operating both water supply and wastewater collection/treatment infrastructure across municipal service areas.
• Suez Water (now Veolia): Global water and wastewater services company; comparable as a broad incumbent in municipal water/wastewater operations with expertise in concession contracts and O&M services for municipal authorities similar to MTSA's inter-municipal agreements.

Direct peers

• Allegheny County Sanitary Authority (ALCOSAN): Regional wastewater treatment authority serving the Pittsburgh metro area; ALCOSAN is MTSA's downstream treatment partner via the Lowries Run interceptor and provides GROW Green grants that fund MTSA infrastructure improvements. Direct comparable as a Pennsylvania municipal sanitary authority with regional treatment scale.
• Ross Township Sanitary Authority: Neighboring Allegheny County sanitary authority; MTSA serves portions of Ross Township and jointly owns the Lowries Run interceptor with Ross, making it a directly comparable small municipal wastewater operator in the same regional service geography.
• Hampton Township Sanitary Authority: Neighboring municipal sanitary authority in Allegheny County; MTSA serves portions of Hampton Township within its service area, making it a directly comparable small-scale municipal wastewater operator with similar regulatory and operating environment.
• Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority (PWSA): Municipal water and sewer authority serving the City of Pittsburgh; directly comparable as a Pennsylvania-based municipal utility providing wastewater collection services, governed by a public board with similar rate-setting processes and regulatory framework.
• Marshall Township Sanitary Authority: Neighboring municipal sanitary authority; MTSA provides O&M services for 2 of its pump stations under an inter-municipal agreement, making it a directly comparable small Pennsylvania sanitary authority with overlapping service geography.
• Ohio Township Sanitary Authority: Neighboring municipal sanitary authority in Allegheny County; MTSA operates 6 pump stations and 2 treatment plants for Ohio Township under an inter-municipal agreement, directly comparable as a small PA sanitary authority contracting regional O&M services.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-mccandless-township-sanitary-authority

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about McCandless township sanitary authority