North Huntingdon Municipal Authority staffers have begun an extensive public relations campaign to help residential and commercial customers affected by newly adopted sewer lateral inspection policies.

The authority hosted a meeting of local real estate agents and mortgage bankers last week to explain details of policies that require a certified inspection and dye test of private laterals to determine condition before the sale or refinancing of residential and commercial properties.

The policies triggered complaints from real estate agents and mortgage company representatives.

"Due to confusion and concerns, the authority board of directors decided to have a meeting to go over details and address concerns," said General Manager Kate Petrosky. "We mailed 140 invitations to people we felt would be affected, but only 20 showed up."

"But the meeting was successful. We were able to satisfactorily address most concerns and distributed brochures that explained the policies clearly. Brochures are available daily during business hours at our office on the second floor of the Town House."

Authority directors have scheduled a public work session at 7:45 p.m. Wednesday, following the monthly board meeting at 7 in the township commissioners chamber.

The purpose of the work session, in the second-floor board room in the Town House, is to meet with residents from a section of Niagara Drive in the 600-home Penns Woods development to review an upcoming sewer line replacement project

Those with a disability who require special accommodations to attend the work session should contact Mrs. Petrosky in advance, if possible, at 724-863-2860.

The authority will meet with Penns Woods residents at 7 p.m. April 29 in the Civic Association Main Building, between Colonial Manor Road and Ormsby Drive.

Authority officials scheduled to explain a new inspection of private laterals and repair policies are Ms. Petrosky, consulting engineer Dave Coldren, Solicitor William McCabe, sewer system Superintendent Charles Gilbert and two undesignated directors.

A number of homeowners who had laterals camera-inspected by the authority last summer will receive certified letters in early April, telling them the results of the inspection.

They will go to 73 residences on St. Clair Drive; 17 on Niagara Drive; eight on Five Pines Road; six on Marven Drive; five on Wayne Drive; four on Torie Drive; one each on Colonial Manor Road and Quaker Drive.

Laterals with a Class 1 or 2 designation passed inspection. Class 3, 4 or 5 designations failed and must be repaired.

A homeowner with a Class 3 lateral will have five years to make repairs. Class 4 or 5 must be repaired or replaced within one year.

Letters for failed laterals will include a form to apply for a federal Community Development Block Grant administered by Westmoreland County. The total amount of the grant fund for 2008 is $105,000.

Homeowners will have 60 days from the receipt of the letter to apply for the grant.

The 2008 number of household members and maximum income from all sources criteria for grant application is: one person, $0 to $33,600; two people, $33,601 to $38,400; three people, $38,401 to $43,200; four people, $43,201 to $48,000; five to eight people, pro-rated.

Applicants will be required to produce income from all residents of a property and all interest earned during the past 12 months.