Some 16,000 customers served by the Western Westmoreland Municipal Authority might not see a scheduled $1 sewage rate increase for the second consecutive year.

Chairman Robert Pioth Jr. said the authority was considering delaying again the levying of the final dollar of a $3.65 monthly rate increase approved last year. The first $2.65 of the approved monthly fee increase became effective Jan. 1; the remaining $1 was postponed until Jan. 1.

Finance Committee Chairman John F. Nabuda said collection of the $1,500 capacity fee the authority began charging developers last October had exceeded expectations, delaying the need for the rest of the rate increase.

"Huge upscale housing developments like Lincoln Hills in North Huntingdon have generated about $307,000 in capacity fee revenue in a year. With some tweaking of next year's budget, the board could delay the increase," Mr. Nabuda said.

The authority will adopt next year's spending plan Nov. 16.

Because its annual budget is calculated on a fiscal year, the North Huntingdon Township Municipal Authority began collecting the full $3.65 from all of its customers in May 2005. The Western Westmoreland Authority services 6,326 customers in the township.

Almost 10,000 more Western Westmoreland customers in Irwin, North Irwin, Manor, Hempfield and Penn Township saw $2.65 monthly added to their sewage bills this year.