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Lawsuit: Pierce County town overcharged hospital millions for sewer service

Published  January 31, 2016 2:34pm PST
Associated Press

TACOMA, Wash. — The Washington State Department of Social and Health Services says the town of Steilacoom has overcharged millions of dollars to provide sewer service to Western State Hospital and has filed a lawsuit.

The News Tribune reports that the Attorney General's Office filed the lawsuit on Jan. 20 in Pierce County Superior Court.

State officials say that for more than two decades Steilacoom has overcharged for Western State Hospital's use of the sewer system.

Steilacoom Town Administrator Paul Loveless says the state and town have an agreement and the town is simply following the agreement.

The state says it paid the full $1.27 million in 1988 to hook up to the county's plant, but has been charged nearly $10,000 a month since 1990 for the connection.