The Centre Region Planning Commission will take another step toward water system regionalization this month when the commission meets with townships to determine each area's water needs.

In a report presented to the CRPC last night, Bill Crum, planner for the commission, said the region has many options for regionalization and must identify specific needs before designing a plan.

Regionalization is defined as any coordination of effort between two or more water systems to improve the water supply of the area, Crum said.

The coordinated effort could include connecting water systems between townships, joint purchase of a water system or combined organizational and managerial water authorities.

Crum said the University and townships: College, Ferguson, Halfmoon, Harris, Patton and State College, would benefit from regionalization in the case of water emergency incidents, such as a fire. He added that a joint water system would be able to sustain an increased water demand.

Gary Schultz, assistant vice president of operations and services for the University, was concerned with the varying needs of the townships. He said since each town would have different water needs one solution may not be ideal for every area.

"It is important to keep options open so people don't feel they have to buy into (regionalization)," Schultz said.

Since the 1940s the University and State College have shared water on a credit-debt service, Schultz said. The University and State College keep records of the amounts shared, and balance the water use.

The most obvious disadvantage of regionalization, Crum said, would be potential water rate hikes. For example, if one township water system needed improvement, each town would pay a higher tax rate for the improvement, Crum explained.

The commission plans to meet with the townships later this month.