Chester Lacks Sole Power Over Water, Pennsylvania Justices Rule

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled that the city of Chester, Pa. can’t unilaterally control the city’s water authority, reversing a lower court’s decision and making it harder for the city to exit bankruptcy.

A 2012 amendment to the state’s Municipality Authorities Act—which restructured the Chester Water Authority’s board to give Chester County and Delaware County representation alongside the city—stripped the city of exclusive powers, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court held Wednesday.

The city “no longer possesses the unilateral power to acquire CWA’s projects under Section 5622(a),” Justice Christine Donohue wrote. “In order to acquire CWA’s projects, City, Chester County and ...