DANVILLE -- The Susquehanna River cuts through Montour County as it zig-zags its way down the state toward the Chesapeake Bay. Quiet as it laps against its banks, a problem lies beneath the surface.

Pollutants dumped into the river by community after community are slowly taking a toll in bay waters, which could put a big squeeze on residents here in Danville, 150 miles from the Chesapeake.

In the past two years, nearly 30 million fewer pounds of blue crab have been harvested from the bay. The numbers for oysters harvested is more striking: A 97 percent drop since harvest highs in the 1950s.

Following the signing of an agreement to clean up the Chesapeake Bay in 2000, Pennsylvania committed to a massive undertaking to remove the bay from the federal Clean Water Act's list of impaired waters.

Because of its stature as one of the state's largest plants, the Danville Sewer Treatment Plant is part of the first phase of 63 plants required by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to reduce the amount of nitrogen and phosphorous emissions as part of the Chesapeake Bay Compliance Plan.

A total of 184 plants are affected by this first phase, which state officials have said could cost about $620 million with the Pennsylvania Municipal Authorities Association estimating at least $1 billion.

As part of the first phase, Danville's plant is required do an estimated $18 million in upgrades to its 55-year-old facility. The project could force rates to skyrocket by the 2010 deadline.

If rates increase 200 to 400 percent -- a jump not out of the question according to local government officials -- Dick and Pauline Umstead would be forced to cut back on something.

"It's at a point you cannot do everything with what you have," Umstead said. Umstead and his wife live on Social Security and an investment his wife has.

"We're more fortunate than some people who have to decide to eat or heat their house. It's definitely going to hurt everybody," the Grand Street resident said.

The Umsteads currently pay about $88 a quarter for both water and sewer services. Danville's current sewer rates are among the lowest in the state.

"We have paid for sewer services over the years and I don't know if they have done anything and now all of a sudden, they need to revamp," said Umstead, a retired floor installer who turns 67 in May.

Retired plumber John Pope, 82, pays sewer fees for three properties, including the home where he and his wife Darlis live. A Danville resident for more than 50 years, he estimates he pays $333 a quarter for water and sewer.

He isn't fond of paying more in rates with the cost of food and fuel going up. "But I don't think we'll have much choice," he said.

Mike Brady, also of Danville, called the proposed increase "a rip-off, just like gas."

But there's an end in sight for the 71-year-old retired AC&F electrician. He's building a home in Derry Township with an on-lot septic system.

Done by 2010

Danville has received an extension for the upgrades that could delay completing the project from 2010 to 2011. Work includes $10 million for construction and $8 million for ongoing maintenance and operations, a huge amount of cash considering Danville's annual sewer department budget is $1.6 million.

Sewer department superintendent Don Shobert said money available for upgrades would be limited. He wasn't aware of any grants available for the upgrades.

Nitrates and phosphorous have adversely affected life in the bay, according to Neil Weaver, state Department of Environmental Protection press secretary.

"The number of oysters has decreased due to nitrates and phosphorous. The U.S. EPA has said there is a direct correlation between this," he said. The 2007 Bay Health and Restoration Assessment shows "oyster harvests in the bay have declined due to overharvesting, disease, pollution and loss of oyster reef habitat. Two diseases discovered in the 1950s ... have been a major cause of the oyster's decline during recent times. Current harvests are approximately 3 percent of harvest highs in the 1950s."

It is estimated more than one-third of the nation's blue crab comes from the Bay. Commercial harvest from the bay between 1968 and 2005 averaged about 73 million pounds. Most recent harvests have yielded about 60 million pounds.

"If the (sewage) plants don't meet these reductions, the federal government will take over and direct them as to what they need to do and this will be more costly to the facilities at that time," Weaver said.

The main goals are to increase oxygen levels, improve clarity and reduce chlorophyll levels in the bay by reducing nutrient and sediment loads. More than half of Pennsylvania lies in the bay watershed and half of the fresh water entering the bay comes from the Susquehanna River.

Unlike Virginia, Maryland and Washington D.C., other areas in the watershed, Pennsylvania has not mandated sewer treatment plant upgrades, or raised taxes to pay for the upgrades. The state has only required plants to meet the nutrient reductions.

But, he said the plants may not to have to invest in large capital projects since it can be done through nonstructural reductions. Some of the ways of cutting back on nitrates and phosphorous could be through nutrient trading with farms.

"Sewage plants contribute about 20 percent to the problem with the other 80 percent coming from the agricultural industry. Farms have already begun to meet the reductions. Farms aren't doing this voluntarily," Weaver said.

Class-action suit

Danville and Riverside boroughs, along with Mahoning and Valley townships, have joined a statewide class-action suit against the upgrades because no funding has been provided for them.

Danville's plant currently serves a population of nearly 11,500 including about 4,865 in Danville and about the same number in Mahoning Township along with about 1,700 people in Riverside. Valley Township has its own sewer, but the township has been in talks with the borough about possibly hooking onto its system in the future.

The aeration system of the Danville plant would have to be upgraded, final settling tanks would have to be changed and "for total phosphorous to be removed, we would have to add a chemical to the water to make the phosphorous settle to the bottom of the tank and remove it," Shobert said.

Danville officials were first notified by the state Department of Environmental Protection in 2004 that plans were being discussed for Pennsylvania to do its share to help clean up the bay.

Councilman Bob Cope recently cautioned the council, that despite the suit and appealing of the new regulations, upgrades need to be made at the plant eventually due to its age.

Danville's plant, located near the middle school, discharges about 2.2 million gallons daily of treated waste into the north branch of the Susquehanna River.

Danville was issued a draft permit last Aug. 22 containing acceptable nutrient limits.

Credits could be purchased or sold to any permitted entity in the Susquehanna River watershed including point sources such as treatment plants or non-point sources such as farms.

While Shobert is aware of the credits, he said, "We were told there won't be enough credits for what's needed."

E-mail comments to kblackledge@thedanvillenews.com. AP contributed to this story.