The red flag "regional consolidation" worries many local officials trying to collectively solve their water problems.

Local municipal officials, water authority members and citizens voiced their thoughts about consolidating water sources last night at an open forum sponsored by the Centre Regional Planning Commission.

Robert Bini, Centre Regional planning director, asked the group of about 40 people to think about what activities they wish to collaborate on.

While most who attended the meeting agree that more communication is needed between the local municipalities, how much they want to work together is uncertain.

"I don't think combining all the systems into one large system is the thing that we need," said Lloyd Niemann, College Township supervisor and representative for the University utility systems.

Rodelle Weinteraub, a representative from Harris Township, echoed his thoughts.

"Because our needs are so different we don't want to lose our community control," she said.

Robert Crum, senior regional planner, said advantages for consolidating include: sharing water in times of a drought or contamination; running the several area systems as one, which is cheaper; and combining administrations.

John George, a member of the State College Water Authority, said collectively operating the area's systems would make it easier to protect ground water from contamination. The best way to accomplish this is to purchase as much of the land around well head sites as possible, protecting the from development.

Robert Schmalz, State College Water Authority member, said a regional effort is needed to protect ground water, because it is not the job of water companies.

"Water systems are not in the land business -- they should not be buying land, they should be providing water," he said.

Schmalz suggested severely fining people if ground water near them is contaminated by a substance they use. Strict regional zoning laws could also be enforced, he added.

Crum said water consolidation could occur on different levels. Physical interconnections between water systems, joint purchasing of land containing well head sites and system consolidation are some of the plans that could be developed between the municipalities, he said.

But several people worry that too much water consolidation will hurt the smaller, rural townships.

"They don't want big brother coming in and telling them what to do," said Weinteraub.

And the different areas have different needs, she said. There is no point in fluoridating water for rural townships because much of it would be used to water crops, Weinteraub said.

However, George said the State College Borough's only motive for consolidation is need.

"We're part of the State College Water Authority and it looks like we're trying to take over -- we're not," he said.

The municipalities invited to the forum were: the Bellefonte and State College boroughs and Benner, College, Ferguson, Halfmoon, Harris, Patton and Spring townships.